


Dangan Ronpa: Elegant Despair

by ScarletHeart3042



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-02-15 19:16:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 31,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13037661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletHeart3042/pseuds/ScarletHeart3042
Summary: Tamatsuki Ayame has gotten bad headaches ever since she was little, and as such hated her natural talent, playing cello. So, when she is scouted to be the Ultimate Cellist, Ayame isn't all too thrilled about it. However, who would she be to turn down the free pass to success, right? Ayame is preparing to start her first day at Hope's Peak Academy, when she loses conciseness upon  entering the prestigious school.Waking up trapped in a strange yet expensive looking hotel with 15 other Ultimates, Ayame is thrown head-first into by far the strangest (and most headache inducing) experience she's endured. With the appearance of a strange and seemingly sentient Robotic Bear claiming to be the hotels manager, the 16 Talented High-Schoolers are forced to participate in a deadly game.   What would you do if the only way to check out of your hotel, was to kill?CURRENT STATUS: Chapter One; Daily Life (Part 3)NEXT UPDATE: Chapter One; Deadly Life (Part 1)





	1. Check Into Despair

**Author's Note:**

> Note about formatting: The bold text is the Protagonist's inner dialogue. Outward speech is shown in a script-like format. 
> 
> I apologize for any typos/grammatical errors, proof reading this was difficult ^^;

**A headache**

**A horrible headache**

**That’s all I felt when I came to**

**And all I saw was darkness**

**Darkness**

 

???: Huh…

???: What…?

 

**I let out a confused murmur**

**I want to lift my head but I can’t due to my pounding skull**

**First I guess I should try and remember what I was doing before I woke up here**

**…**

**……**

**……….**

**…………..ah!**

**Thats right!**

**I was meant to be starting my first day at Hope’s Peak Academy**

**Hope’s Peak was a prestigious school where only students who are the very best at what they do are allowed to attend**

**There wasn’t any entrance exams, and you couldn’t independently apply to the school**

**You had to be scouted by the school itself.**

**I was chosen to attend as….**

**As….**

**….yes. That’s right. The Ultimate Cellist. Tamatsuki Ayame**

  **I wasn’t particularly excited to attend Hope’s Peak**

**Infact, I hate playing cello**

**All it does is give me a headache**

**Anyways I was about to step inside the building when…**

**….Everything went dark**

**And then I woke up here**

**My head resting on a clothed table**

**A migraine pulsing through my skull**

**All I can do in that moment is wait for my headache to dull enough so that I can lift my head.**

**So I wait….**

**….**

**….**

**…..it hasn’t gone away…**

**….**

**….**

**...maybe I’ll be stuck here forever…**

****

**But slowly, the pain ebbs away enough that I was able to slowly lift my head.**

**I was shocked to find myself in some sort of….ball room?**

 

Ayame: What the...hell?

 

**The room was expanse, the floors shiny and marbled. In the center of the room, a wide staircase, also marble, reached up and split into two different directions**

**The walls looked like they were made of gold**

**A grand chandelier hung from the ceiling casting a bright light**

**Most importantly there was another girl**

 

???: Ah! Hello there? Did you just wake up here?

 

**The girls races over to me**

**Her high voice causes another pain to shoot through my head**

 

Ayame: Ack!

 

**I bury my head back in my arms.**

**Sensing my pain, she remains silent until I finally lift my head again**

**The next time she talks, it’s in a much softer voice.**

 

???: Do you happen to know how we got here?

 

Ayame: Ha. Not a clue. The last thing I reme-

 

**She cuts me off**

 

???: The last thing you remember you were about to start Hope’s Peak, right?

 

**It’s like she read my mind**

 

Ayame: Yup. I don’t remember anything after walking into the school. 

???: Hah…

 

**She laughs bitterly**

 

???: Guess we’re in the same boat, yeah?

Ayame: Guess so.

???: Well in that case I should introduce myself. I’m Hironaka Kae, the Ultimate Seamstress

  


**I also give a brief introduction of myself and my talent.**

 

Ayame: So… we’re sure this isn’t Hope’s Peak, right?

Kae: Hmmm, I doubt it. This doesn’t look like anything I saw on the brochure

Ayame: Then… where are we..?

Kae: Wish I could tell’ya

 

**We sit in silence for a bit, letting our situation sink in**

 

Kae: So… what do we do now.

Ayame: I don’t… know…

 

**I hadn’t really thought about that**

**What happens now**

**Where the hell are we?**

**Suddenly I hear the sound of pounding foot steps racing down the stairs**

**A masked man in a trench coat comes racing down**

 

Kae: Oh my god! A serial killer! 

 

**She ducks under the table**

**I want to follow her but I’m stuck in my seat, just confused**

**Crap**

**This is where I die then?**

**Suddenly I hear another set of footsteps racing, and a voice call out**

 

???: You won’t get away from me you kidnapper!!   
  


**A yellow flash races across the ballroom and tackles the man or…**

**Now that the two were still, I could that the ‘man’ had a very frail figure, and looked younger, probably the same age as me.**

**The boy is frantically shoving a journal in the girl’s face**

 

???: [sighs]: awww man, so you’re just another student, huh?

 

**Suddenly the girl notices me sitting at the table, still frozen in shock**

**This was all happening so fast…**

 

???: Hiya! I’m Okada Asa, the Ultimate Sprinter!

 

**Asa runs cheerily up to me but then stops, her eyes darkening**

 

Asa: Are you the kidnapper?

 

**What was this girls deal? She seemed happy to introduce herself a second ago.**

 

Ayame: Ah- er- no. I’m Tamatsuki Ayame. Ultimate Cellist.

 

**Asa’s eyes light up again**

 

Asa: Pleasure to meet you Ayame!

 

**Annoyance bubbled deep in my stomach. Asa swung from trusting to wary way too fast for my liking. She needs to slow down. This whole situation needs to-**

 

Kae: A-ayame? You still alive?

 

Ayame: [under breath] Unfortunately. [louder] Yeah, I’m fine. There is no serial killer, just more Ultimates.

 

**Kae emerges from under the table and exchanges greetings with Asa. The masked boy still lay on the ground.**

 

Ayame: Asa, did you murder the poor boy?

 

**Asa turns to look at the boy**

 

Asa: Nah, he’s fine. A weirdo, but fine. According to his journal he’s Akinari Kanai, the Ultimate Disguiser.

 

**I suppose that explains his get up. He truly did look like a serial killer.**

 

Kae: Can…. he talk?

 

Asa: [shrugs] Beats me.

 

Ayame: So Asa, I’m just going to assume you know no more about this place than the rest of us?

 

**Asa’s eyes darken with worry**

 

Asa: ‘friad not. Nobody does.

 

**That makes it sound like she’s met other people**

 

Ayame: How many others are there?

 

**Asa seems to ponder this for a moment**

 

Asa: Twelve other Ultimates not counting the four in this room. Pretty exciting huh?!

 

**She gives a small bounce**

 

Asa: I’ve never met another Ultimate before, let alone 15 of them. 

 

**I had to agree with her. It was cool to meet other Ultimates, though the three I met seemed a lot more… dedicated?**

**Kae wore a dress with an apron covered in patches, showing that she was a Seamstress. Asa was decked out in running gear, and Kanai had his mask, trench-coat, and scarf.**

**The only thing I wore indicating my talent was note pin, and a bass cleft hairpin, and I only did that at my mother's insistance.**

 

Kae: Where are the others?

 

**Kae cuts through my thoughts**

 

Asa: Oh, they're scattered all around here exploring!

 

**Where exactly is here?**

 

Kae: Ayame, wanna go meet everyone else?

 

**Truthfully no.**

**This whole situation was exhausting.**

**I just wanted to rest my head and fall back asleep**

**But I suppose the best way to get ahold of my situation would be to retain as much information as possible.**

 

Ayame: Sure. Sounds like a good idea.

 

Asa: Alrighty! Imma stay here and coax Kanai out of his trauma. I feel bad for puttin him though that. 

 

Ayame: You….you do that Asa.

 

**Kae takes the lead, and we approach the wide marble staircase. It truly was exquisite. Nothing I had ever seen before.**

**Where exactly were we?**

**Only one way to find out I guess.**

**I follow Kae up the stairs.**

**She pauses at the top**

 

Kae: Alright then, right or left?

 

Ayame: I doubt it matters. My guess is they lead to the same place.

 

**My suspicions were confirmed as we pushed our way through the double doors to the left.**

**Both doors lead out into another big room.**

**It was red carpeted with red velvet furniture. A desk sat near…**

**What I assume was windows? A door? They were…**

**Painted black???**

 

Ayame: I-think I see what this place is…

 

Kae: [Nodding] Me too….

 

**A hotel. It was a hotel, and we were standing in the front lobby. A group of three people stood in front of the door. One, a small. statured girl with pink hair, was throwing her  body against it.**

 

???1: Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Why won’t this Stupid door open?

 

**The poor girl sounded hysteric. A boy with shaggy blonde hair watched on with amusement.**

 

???2: Keep on going at it Rui! It’s sure to open eventually! You’re definitely helping our situation right now!

 

Rui: AAaaaah, shut up shut up shut up!

 

**The girl, Rui, threw her small body against the door once again to no avail. The third person, a taller girl with long purple hair, stood watching with her arms crossed, clearly annoyed.**

 

???3: Udo. You keep quiet. Rui, I already told you that doors not opening. Don’t be obnoxious about it.

 

**The boy, Udo, flashed another grin.**

 

Udo: Yeah Rui, June’s right. Stop trying.

 

Rui: [practically crying]  AgH! Stop messing with me. You were the one who told me to keep trying!!

 

**Finally the purple haired girl, June, noticed Kae and I**

 

June: Hello. I’m Otani June. Ultimate Memorizer 

 

Udo: Ouch c-c-c-cold. No ‘nice to meet you’? No ‘how’s your day going so far now that we’ve been kidnapped?’

 

June: I don’t bother with such unnecessary formalities. Short and simple is fine for me.

 

**Despite being cold** ,  **I liked this girl. She saw no need for theatrics.**

 

Udo: [shoving June] I’ll show you how it’s done. Hey hey hey, I’m Matsuno Udo, the one and only Ultimate Future Reader. DU DU DUUUUU. It is oh so nice to meet you two ladies. 

 

June: [pinching bridge of nose] Meteorologist. He’s a Meteorologist 

 

**Udo glares at June, and smacks her with the red scarf he wore on his neck.**

 

Udo: [whining] Don’t be such a liar Ju-Ju, I can tell the future!

 

June: If you call me that again I will strangle you with your own scarf.

 

Udo: Oof okay.

**He was still grinning, despite the threat.**

 

Kae: What does your weird outfit have to do with your talent?

 

Udo: [sneering] What does your slutty outfit have to do with your's whore?

 

**What an absolutely unpleasant person. One; Kae asked a valid question and Two; Kae’s outfit was a knee length dress and apron, far from being ‘slutty’**

 

Udo: Anyways, since I’m such a kind and forgiving person I’ll answer your insensitive question

 

June: You guys don’t need to listen to this h-

 

**Udo cuts her off with another shove**

 

Udo: I need to be prepared for any kinds of weather! Thats why I wear this scarf and coat, but also shorts and sandals

 

Ayame: But you’re a meteorologist, can't you just know the weather before hand and pick an outfit like any normal person does?

 

Udo: Have you been introduced to this adorable little strawberry yet?

 

**Udo completely ignores my question and gestures at the girl Rui who had curled up in one of the velvet chairs and was silent up until this point. Was she asleep?**

 

Udo: This lil scrap is-

 

Rui: [head still buried in cushion] I can introduce myself thank you very much.

 

**Rui lifts her head from the cushion to look at me and Kae. Her eyes light up a bit.**

 

Rui: I’m Hamasaki Rui, the Ultimate Baker

Kae: Oh baking! That’s cool, I love sweets!   
  


Rui: I don’t just love sweets, I can only eat sweets.

 

**….What.**

 

June: Here we go…

 

Rui: I’m allergic to bitter food! Sweets are the only thing I can eat! 

 

June: Rui, that’s not how allergies work. Allergies are caused by the release of immune system chemicals such as histamine, which-

 

Udo [groaning] No. Body. Asked. You. June.

 

Rui: Annnnyways yep! So thats why I bake!   
  


**What a ridiculous little girl. If she is here she much be the same age as everyone else, but her mannerisms and looks made her seem like a child.**

**After those headaches of introductions, Kae and I share our information. Quickly thereafter, we hurry out of the lobby and down a hallway.**

**At the end of it, there in an indoor swimming pool. Kae lights up at this.**

 

Kae: Oooh a swimming pool! I love swimming! We should go together later Ayame!

 

**Why was Kae treating me like a friend? I mean sure we woke up in the same room and were walking around together out of convenience, but she was practically a stranger.**

**However after meeting Rui June and Udo the last thing I wanted to do was stir up more issues.**

 

Ayame: Mhm sure…

 

**Kae and I enter the pool room. It was surprisingly beautiful, not like any indoor pools I had been to before.**

**The floors were again marble, and the inground pool was made of the same. The pool was a decent size, not Olympic sized but maybe 3/4th that.**

**There were fountains shaped like teddy bears spraying water into the pool.**

**Around the pool was umbrellas and lounge chairs.**

**Four other students are in the pool room. Two (a boy and a girl who looked very similar) sitting in chairs next to each other, one was a girl talking to another who was swimming in the pool still in… her clothes. What the hell.**

 

???: Aisa do you really think you should go in the pool with your clothes? You don’t have a change you know?

 

Aisa: Whatever, I’ll dry off!

 

**The girl sitting in the lounge chair chimes in**

 

???2: But your clothes are going to smell like chlorine and be all stiff

 

Aisa: [falling back into the water] What. Ever.

 

**Kae and I approach the girl standing at the edge of the pool**

 

???: Oh, hey! You must be the last two to wake up huh? Well, I’m Komori Hisae, the Ultimate Lucky Student!

Kae: Lucky...student?

 

Hisae: [nervously laughing] Yeah… I don’t really consider it much of a talent. I was picked from a lottery of the whole nation's high school students to attend Hope’s Peak.

 

Ayame: Do you have any other sort of luck?

 

**Hisae seems to ponder this for a moment**

 

Hisae:I suppose my luck is sorta being naturally good at things. The problem is I’m just good ya’ know? Not amazing, and extraordinary, just decent. And no matter how much I practice I don’t get better. But I can pick up anything and be okay at it. I’m extraordinarily unextraordinary at everything

 

**Although Hisae seemed self-conscious of her luck in natural sub-par talent, I was jealous.**

**I would forever be stuck playing cello just because I could flawlessly sight read. Haise could really do anything she wanted.**

**Who cares if she wasn’t the best? But what and ever, I don’t feel like having a deep discussion about it.**

**Suddenly the girl who had been sitting in the lounge chair pulled up the boy next to her by the arm and raced towards us.**

 

???: Hey hey! It’s the last two students!

 

**She and the boy reach us**

 

???: I’m Ichihara Ayuka!

 

**She waits a moment, before giving the boy a gentle nudge. He looks...uncomfortable**

 

???2: I’m...Shimizu Izo

 

???: And together we are the Ultimate Figure Skating Pair!

Kae: [excited] Ah! I recognize you two! I love you’re skating duets! Is it true you’re undefeated?

 

Ayuka [flashing a grin]: Yup yup! [stops smiling] but don’t get the wrong idea or anything, we’re not a couple. I only hang out with this loser outside of figure skating due to pressure from the coach and media.

 

**Kae seems disappointed by this. Whatever. I prefered Izo to Ayuka for sure. Her banter gives me a headache.**

**Suddenly, the girl who was in the pool swims up to us and hoists herself out out of the pool. Her pale hair is dripping with water as well as her clothes.**

 

Ayuka: Ugh, don’t get the rest of us wet. Really, you’re going to be uncomfortable the rest of the day since you don’t have a change of clothes.

 

???: [shrugging] Meh, I’ll deal

 

**The girl turns to me and Kae**

 

???: I should probably introduce myself, huh?

 

**My guess is Ultimate Swimmer**

 

???: I’m Mita Aisa, the Ultimate Ballerina!

Ayame: Ultimate….Ballerina?

 

Aisa: Mhm, but don’t be fooled. I a’int stuck up and prissy or anything like that

 

**That was easy to see I suppose. This girl, Aisa, seemed ridiculously carefree.**

**I mean, who the hell goes swimming in their clothes without a change? Kae and I briefly introduce ourselves.**

**Kae seems to want to stick around to talk to Ayuka, which annoyed me greatly.**

**We were supposed to be quickly meeting the other students, and there was still five more people to find to my knowledge.**

 

Ayame: Kae, we should get going so we can find the others.

 

Kae: Awww it’s not like there is a time limit Ayame, can’t we stick around here longer.

 

**I shifted uncomfortably.** **_It’s not like there is a time limit._ ** **How could we know?**

**Why does everyone seem so relaxed when we have absolutely no idea where we are. This whole situation is fucking weird.**

 

Ayame: Alright you can. I’ll continue myself then.

 

**With that, I turn and walk out of the pool room. I hear someone chasing after me. I turn around.**

 

Ayame: I thought you were sticking around with the guys at the pool?

 

Kae: Well I wasn’t going to just ditch you.

 

**Ditch me? I wasn’t aware we HAD to travel together. I was fine with her staying back if she wanted to. What a clingy girl.**

 

Kae: So , where to next?

 

**As if and answer to her question, we hear shouting coming from a room back down the hall and on the opposite end of the lobby.**

 

Ayame: How about there?

 

Kae: [worried] Yeah let’s go. I don’t want anyone getting hurt in a fight.

 

**Well, that wasn’t what I was thinking of, I wanted to see people fighting since so far I was pretty bored.**

**But whatever floats Kae’s boat I suppose. We make are way back across the lounge to the opposite end.**

**The set of double doors reads ‘dining area’ We walk inside. There two boys are shouting at each other.**

**Or more accurately one boy was shouting at the other who looked amused with himself.**

 

???: DUDE DON’T MESS AROUND, HOW THE HELL WERE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT??

 

**He grabs the other boy by the collar of his turtleneck. The one shouting was much bigger than the one smiling, so he is easily lifted out of his seat. My attention is drawn to another boy sitting at one of the tables.**

**He is small, probably only a little bigger than Rui. He is chewing a spoonful of cereal and watching the other two fight. Same.**

 

Kae:[Running up to the fight] Hey hey hey, what are you two doing? Is this really the time to be fighting amongst ourselves?

 

**The bigger boy, stares at Kae for a moment, before placing the turtleneck boy down.**

 

???: And who might you be?

 

**Kae introduces herself**

 

???: Well I’m pissed of because this asshole is being a creep.

 

**The turtleneck boy rests his chin on the palm on his hand.**

 

???2: I’m not being a creep. It’s just my talent.

 

**He turns to Kae**

 

???2: You’re the Ultimate Seamstress correct? You write in extremely looped cursive that no one can really read but you.

 

**What the hell.**

 

???2: [turning to Ayame] and you’re the Ultimate Cellist. Very messy hand writing due to anxiety.

 

**WHAT THE HELL**

 

Kae: Erm okay. How about telling us about yourself instead of ourselves

 

**This seems to make him flustered.**

 

???2: Erm yeah right um….. I’m Kuwahara Dayu… I think. Um. I’m the Ultimate Forger

**When talking about his talent he seems to regain his confidence a bit**

 

Dayu: I can copy anyones handwriting by observing their mannerisms. 

 

**He really was creep. The bigger boy finally speaks up again, still seemingly angry, and I understood why.**

**Who did Dayu think he was just probing into my personal life and feelings when I didn’t even fucking know him. Creep.**

 

???: Guess I’ll introduce myself before the weirdo does it for me. Ishiyama Juro, Ultimate Survivalist

 

Dayu: Juro and you would get along Cello Girl, he also has bad anxiety and similar hand writing.

 

**Juro suddenly turns and punched Dayu in the face. Kae gasps. I hold back a smile.**

**Well deserved Dayu, well deserved. Dayu recoils and lifts his head, his nose bleeding.**

**Curious as to how the kid eating cereal reacted I turn to him. He’s now drinking the milk from the bowl, unfazed. Juro must see me looking at him.**

 

Juro: [taking a deep breath to calm down] That over there is Koyasu Amane, he is the Ultimate Zoologist, and that’s all I could get outta him.

  
  
  


**Amane doesn’t even flinch at his name, and continues to just watch us. A little weird, but I liked this kid.**

**Way preferable to Rui’s whining.**

**Well that’s that then. I turn to Kae.**

 

Ayame: Alright. Let’s go find the last two students then. 

 

**Kae look at me wide eyes. She had begun to treat Dayu’s nosebleed**

 

Kae: H-hold on, give me a minute. I need to stop this nosebleed. 

 

**How annoying.**

 

Ayame: I’ll go myself then. Like I said, I don’t care if you want to stay back.

 

Kae: [to Dayu] If you hold the cloth to your nose you’ll be fine. [To Juro] Shouldn’t you apologize? That was way out of line.

 

Juro: [scowling] It wasn’t out of line. This kid pushed his boundaries.

 

Dayu: [smiling with a wince] L-like I said, it’s just my talent bro. [To Kae] I’ll be fine from here, go with your friend.

 

**We aren’t friends**

 

Kae: Okay, if you’re sure.

 

Juro: [to me] The last two people you’re looking for are in the storage room I think. If you go through the kitchen there is a flight of stairs that lead down to them.

 

Ayame: Thanks

 

**I walk in the direction he pointed me towards, Kae chasing after me.**

**We enter a kitchen, that is surprising well stocked. The equipment seemed modern. I walk towards the back of the kitchen to the staircase.**

**When we reached the bottom I was even more surprised. It was even more well stocked. There were high ceiling and cement floors and walls. Shelves reached from the floor to the ceiling and were stocked with food, clothes, furniture, you name it.**

**In the back I could see a door to a walk in refrigerator/freezer, which I assumed has more food in it.**

**Where the fuck were we.**

**A boy stands in the middle of the storage room, scribbling on a piece of paper.**

 

Kae: Hey! What’cha up to?

 

**The boy looks up**

 

???: Oh hey! I’m Saeki Roka, the Ultimate Cartographer

 

Kae: Cartographer? What’s that?

 

Roka: I draw maps! Right now I’m working on one for this building

**Finally someone actually doing something useful. I guess his outfit made sense with his talent, a graphic t-shirt with a globe and a satchel full of paper.**

 

Roka: There’s another student back in the freezer if you want to meet her. She’s taking inventory.

 

**Good, useful. Kae and I walk back and enter the freezer. It’s…..cold. Sure enough, a girl is in there scribbling in a notebook. Her head snaps up as we enter.**

 

???: Hello, who may you two be? 

 

**We introduce ourselves. She flips to a different page in her notebook and starts writing stuff down. I was already uncomfortable with this girl.**

 

Ayame: And you are….?

 

???: Hm? [looks up] Ah, that doesn’t matter

 

**Here we go. Another weirdo.**

 

Kae: Aw c’mon, we’re interested. Let’s hear it, who are you?

 

???: [sighing] If you insist, I’m Wakino Nori. Ultimate Journalist

 

Nori: Now if you exc-

**She is cut of by the sound of a bell ringing through….through…?**

**I look up.**

**There is an intercom speaker above my head.**

**_Bing Bong Bong Bong_ **

**A voice I can’t even begin to describe rings through the intercom. It’s high pitched, almost mechanical but not… really?**

**I can tell it was meant to sound cute but there was nothing cute about it. I shiver. It really is cold in here.**

 

Intercom???: Ahem. Ah. Are we live? Check check? Uno duex three? Good good. Hello my valued guests. May all of you looovely folks please meet in the lobby for a meeting?

 

**The hell? A meeting? Who was this, another student? But...no we met all of them, I’m sure of it. None of them sounded like that.**

 

Kae: I um…. Do we go?

 

Ayame: Of course. Seems like a chance to get more information which is most important here.

 

Nori: and it may be dangerous not to?

 

**Someone said it.**

 

Kae: W-what do you mean?

 

Nori: Well, it does appear we are hostages here. The exit is painted over so we can’t see outside, and it is locked. There are no windows. I don’t see why that would be the case unless we were hostages, no?

 

Kae: I…..

 

**She falls silent.**

 

Ayame: Well, seems we should go then.

 

**We meet Roka out in the storage room, and he seems just an confused as Kae.**

**Nori seems to be remaining calm though. The four of us make our way up the stairs, through the kitchen and dining hall, and back to the lobby. J**

**une, Rui, Udo, Juro, Dayu, Amane, Asa, and Kanai are all already there.**

**Soon after, Izo, Ayuka, Hisae, and a still soaked Aisa join. That’s all the students.**

 

June: Well we’re all here.

 

Ayuka: Okay, so who the hell made the announcement.

???: Puhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu

 

**Oh christ. Whoever owned that voice was sure to be annoying.**

**Suddenly a mechanical whirring sound comes from behind the front desk. Rui, who had been standing closest to it, hopped backwards in surprise and fear.**

**A small figure pulls itself up onto the desk. And by small I don’t mean Rui and Amane type small. I mean-**

 

Udo: Wowie! It’s a stuffed animal that moves! 

 

**Yes. It seems it was a… toy. But not a pleasant one by any means.**

**Half the body of this….bear…. Yes it was bear, I could deal with. It was all white with a black button eye.**

**The other half, though was black with a creepy grin and a jagged red eye. And he was wearing a suit. An actual suit and tie. The hell?**

 

???: Geez, am I going to  have to go through this everytime I meet you brats? I a’int no toy, got it Whether Boy?

 

Udo: Wow, it’s a toy that talks! Truely amazing!

 

???: Well I can tell what character type you’re following brat. Let me warn you advance, you better learn to keep your mouth s h u t or it’ll be your head, got it?

 

Udo: [grinning] Oof, yes sir.

 

???: Now that’s more like it. Anyways bastards, I am Manager Monokuma! If the name didn’t give it away, I’m the manager of this fine establishment. Isn’t it such a b-eeee-utiful hotel?

 

**Silence**

 

Monokuma: Awww don’t be shy, it’s truely is beautiful, isn’t it? Weellll isn’t it?

 

**More silence**

 

Monokuma: Hmmm. Well I sure hope you agree since you’re going to be staying here for-

 

**Yep I was sick of this already**

 

Ayame: Let me guess, the rest of our lives?

 

Monokuma: Bingo! You’re a bright one, aren’t you Music Girl?

 

**I didn’t reply. The rest of our lives, huh? I felt tension spark around me as everyone else stood in shock.**

Juro: Don’t fuck around! What do you mean the rest of our lives?

 

Ayuka: Yeah, what kinda nonsense are you spewing? I didn’t sign up for this? 

 

Roka: W-what is this? Where is Hope’s Peak? Isn’t that w-where we should be?

 

**Roka turns to face the rest of us.**

 

Roka: T-this must be a prank right? A hazing sorta thing? Right guys?

 

June: That’s doubtful. Too much effort would be put into this for a simple prank.

 

**June cooly turns to address Monokuma**

 

June: Based on our statuses as Ultimate’s I’m assuming you and your organization want something out of use, yes? What would that be? 

 

Monokuma: Organization? Who said anything about an organization Encyclopedia?

 

**Did he have dumb nick-names for all of us.**

 

Monokuma: And I want nothing more than for you guys to live peacefully with each other here in my lovely hotel. That’s all my heart desires. 

 

Asa: Like hell that’s happening!

 

**Anger simmered in Asa’s voice. She looked livid. Surprisingly, Izo speaks out.**

 

Izo: Y-yeah I mean, I-I don’t wish to stay here either.

 

Aisa: Me neither! I got dance classes to go to ya’know?

 

Monokuma: [Sadly] Well I see you brats are not grateful for this opportunity I am presenting you with. Who wouldn’t want to live in the gorgeous place forever? Very well. If you wish to leave you can.

 

**Yeah no. There was definitely a catch to this.  The only people I see around me who realize that too are Nori, June, Udo, and Amane.**

**Everyone else breaths a sigh of relief, some even smile.**

 

Haisae: Thank god! Can I leave now?

 

Monokuma: Sure thing Luckster!

**Another dumb nickname**

 

Monokuma: [grinning] All you gotta do is kill someone here!

 

**Whoop, there it is. Silence falls over us one again. The tension grows even more, so much I swear I can hear it crackling like electricity.**

 

Kae: W-what are you saying? T-that can’t true.. This can’t be happening...what...I…[trails off]

 

Monokuma: I’m sayin that your ticket to check out of this hotel, is to kill off someone, duhhh. Stabbing, drowning, poisoning, bludgeoning, you name it! As long someone dies, someone leaves.

 

**Everyone was thinking it. I know I was. No matter how good of a person someone claims they are, no matter how much of a moral high ground someone has, at that moment, I know everyone was thinking the same thing.**

**All they had to do was kill. One person. I’m sure eveyones thought's were racing with different ways to do it.**

 

Monokuma: Yup yup! If you murder someone without getting caught, you can say byeonara! 

 

June: Without getting caught, huh? What do you mean by that.

 

Monokuma: Glad you asked Encyclopedia! After a murder takes place, the blackened and the spotless with both be allowed to participate in an investigation. After sometime a class trial will commence! You will all have to agree on a blackened and vote. If you vote right, the blackened is punished, if you vote wrong everyone besides the blackened is punished, and they get to leave.

 

Hisae: Now hold on. This doesn’t seem fair. None of us are detectives. 

 

Monokuma: Oh c’mon Luckster, be optimistic! You bastards are all Ultimates, with  your powers combine you’ll be fine.

 

Asa: Shut up. Both of you. That doesn’t matter since no one is going to be murdered.

 

**Fool.**

 

Monokuma: Yeah yeah, whatever Cheetah. Anyways here are your; Drum roll please!

 

**There was no drumroll**

 

Monokuma: Wow okay buzzkills. Anyways, here are your Monopads. 

 

**He pulls out a pile of tablets seemingly out of nowhere. Where the hell did they come from?**

**Next thing I knew he was tossing them straight at us. I braced for being hit in the face with a glass tablet, but next thing I know I’m holding the device in my hand. What. The. Fuck.**

**I stare at the tablet in my hands. Everyone else seemingly does the same, except Udo who has already booted his up.**

 

Udo: Cool cool! Can I download Minecraft on here?

 

**What a child. Monokuma ignores him and addresses the rest of us.**

 

Monokuma: If you would all please boot up your Monopads, you can read the rules. Read them carefully, your life could depend on it!

 

**He cackles. Now that’s what I call edgy. Curious enough to care a little, I boot up the tablet, which I guess is called a ‘Monopad’.**

**My name and talent are displayed and I am taken to a home screen of sorts. I open up the app titled “Rules” and read them through.**

 

Rule One: Do not purposefully break your Monopad. They will be vital to your communal life in the Hotel

Rule Two: Absolutely no violence is to be directed towards Manager Monokuma

Rule Three: Each Guest will be provided with their own suite on the first floor. Each room has a lock, and you are prohibited from entering anyone's room without the owner's consent.

Rule Three and a Half: The previous rule is overridden if you manage to get someone’s room key. You may enter any room you have to key to at anytime, with or without the owner's consent.

Rule Four: You may not sleep anywhere but the rooms, whether it be yours or another guests.

Rule Five: 7am to 11pm will be considered Nighttime. During this time period, the Pool will be closed.

Rule Six: From 12pm to 1pm your rooms will be cleaned. You cannot enter your rooms during this time.

Rule Seven: Any room or area that is unlocked, you can enter. 

Rule Eight: Do not break any doors that are locked.

Rule Nine: Manager Monokuma can add any rules at anytime

Any violation of these rules will be met with punishment

June: What exactly does ‘punishment’ mean. You mentioned it before to.

 

Monokuma: Puhuhuhu well, let’s just say it means you may end up a little bit dead.

**So an execution, huh.**

 

Udo: Welp, too bad Rui. Let’s send our little strawberry off with some nice prayers.

 

Rui: [trembling] I-I-i-i W-what are y-you talking about?

 

Monokuma: Ohh yes yes. Strawberry. Don’t think I didn’t see your little stunt with the door earlier. 

 

Rui: W-what b-b-ut I… I d-didn’t...I-i

 

Monokuma: Puhuhuhuhuh, look at you tremble like a leaf. Don’t worry sweets, I’ll let it slide since you didn’t know the rules, and because you didn’t technically break the door.

 

Rui: ….

 

Monokuma: Moving on! If you take a gander a these next set of rules [he claps...somehow?]

 

**The list of rules expands**

 

Monokuma: You will see the rules on Partners!

 

**Partners….what was he going on about? Grudgingly, I look at the new rules**

 

Rule 10: Manager Monokuma will put each of you in Partnerships

Rule 11: There will be 8 pairs of partners

Rule 12: A Partnership will never consist of more than two people.

Rule 13: It is mandatory for you to work in your partnerships during investigations, though pairs may team up if they wish.

Rule 14: You are not allowed to Murder your own Partner 

Rule 15: If you kill your own partner, Manager Monokuma will immediately reveal it once the body is discovered, and no Class Trial will take place., 

Rule 16: If your partner is murdered, you will not be assigned a new one.

Rule 17: If you and your partner work together to commit a murder, only the actual killer is considered the blackened. 

Rule 18: Similarly, If it is found out your Partner is the blackened, both Partners are to be executed.  

 

Roka: Now hold on! That last rule is completely unfair!

 

Monokuma: Sorry Bucko, I don’t make the rules! [he paused] Oh wait, yes I do. Puhuhuhuhu. Whatever, whine and cry all you’d like, the rules won’t change.

 

**I didn’t think the tension could possibly grow anymore, but then it did.**

 

Monokuma: Alrighty, now the moment of truth, I will put you in your partnerships!

 

**Crap. The last thing I wanted was another person trailing me around. Maybe I would murder someone and just to get  the both of us killed.**

 

Monokuma: Alrighty here we go! Amane will be paired with Rui, Nori will be with Izo, Dayu with Juro-

 

Juro: Hold the fuck up. No way am I gonna stick around with that creep.

 

Monokuma: Calm down meathead, I gotta make sure you two don’t kill each other right off the bat. How boring and predictable would that be?

 

Juro: NO FUCKIN-

 

Monokuma: Hush. No more or I’ll kill ya. Let’s continue. Roka and Akinari are a pair, Udo and Haise are one.

 

Haise: [under breath] Oh joy….

 

**Udo scoots up to Haise and wraps an arm around her**

 

Udo: Howdy partner! I look forwards to working with you.

 

**For a moment, I sympathize with Hisae.**

 

Monokuma: Ayuka and Kae will be together...

 

**Thank god. I didn’t need Kae to cling to me anymore and Ayuka was just annoying.**

 

Monokuma: Aisa and June, you’re a couple, and last but not leeeast! Ayame and Asa!

 

**Great. Just great. I got stuck with the sickening optimest.**

 

Monokuma: Alrighty buckos, that's all from me for now! I’ll be off. 

 

Dayu: Now wait just a minute I-

 

**Ignoring Dayu’s objection Monokuma hops back behind the desk and is gone.**

**What a dumb situation. Oh well, I wasn’t planning on really killing anyone...for now. For the time being I was just going to watch the other students fumble around this situation.**

**At least that would be fun.**

 

Rui: [crying] I wanna go home. Why is this happening!

 

June: This is quite the annoyance….

 

Juro: Like HELL am I working with that asshole Dayu

 

Dayu: Look, I didn’t do anything to you. It’s literally just my talent. How do you think I feel about working with you after you practically broke my nose?

 

Haise: Udo I swear to god if you try and murder someone-

 

Udo: Ohohoho, look at you miss I Judge A Book by It’s Cover

 

Haise: [shouting] I’m not judging you by your cover! I’m judging you by your first 10 chapters!

 

**The lobby suddenly filled up with arguments.**

 

Juro: YA KNOW WHAT? FUCK YOU DAYU, aND FUCK THE RULES. I’LL KILL YA AND THEN JUST DIE MYSELF.

 

Dayu: Oh man, look at you tough guy, is that really what the Ultimate Survivalist would want?

 

Udo: I would NEVER kill someone, okay? No need to worry Luckster!

 

Haise: Oh no, don’t you dare call me that!

 

Ayuka: Wait…. Hold on… I want to be paired with Izo

 

Nori: Now stop right there. Don’t strip me of my partner just because you’re clingy.

 

**Soon so many people are talking that I can’t pick out individual conversations.**

**At least this was entertaining. Suddenly, one voice rose loudly above the others.**

 

Asa: EVERYONE STOP!!

 

**Slowly, the arguments taper off as everyone turns to Asa. She is standing with clenched fists at her side, tears rolling down her face.**

 

Asa: Please….stop. Just stop. Don’t you see? This is what Monokuma wa- no. This is what whoever kidnapped us wants! They want us to fight with each other.

 

**Well no shit.**

 

Kae: Yeah! Asa is right.

 

**Kae steps forward. What the hell is she doing? Doesn’t she see speaking out like this will get her killed faster? Idiot.**

 

Kae: We can’t give in to the pressure. The partnerships were obviously made to weaken our trust even more. We can’t let that happen!

 

**Asa looks gratefully at Kae and wipes tears from her eyes.**

 

Asa: We have to remember who our enemy is. Not each other, but whoever stuck us all here!

 

Ayame: And how do we know that isn’t one of us.

 

**As I cooly spoke, everyone turned to me.**

 

Ayame: We cannot be blind with dumb optimism here. Or do you two just not understand the weight of this situation? We were kidnapped with no recollection of HOW and locked in some hotel no one recognizes? We are strangers to each other.

 

**How could Asa and Kae not see this? It was glaringly obvious.**

 

Ayuka: Hey there Ayame! Don’t just pin this on Kae and Asa. They’re right! I think the same thing. We cannot afford to doubt each other! I see that now. I- I won’t let the kidnappers get to my head.

 

**Wha-**

 

Aisa: Yeah, I was thinkin the same thing! Why waste energy doubting each other when we can use that to find a way out!

Rui: [wiping away tears] Yah! I want to trust everyone too! We got in somehow, so we must be able to get out!

 

June: It does seem more logical to work together. We will be more efficient that way.

 

**Even June? Was everyone here insane?**

 

Nori: Well, I will go along with what everyone else does. As a Journalist I cannot interfere with my own opinions.

 

**Shit. I was hoping Nori would have more sense. Maybe she does, but she won’t say it because of her stupid talent.**

 

Dayu: Hey, I’m willing to agree! [He turns to Juro]. Look man, I’m sorry we got out to a rough start. I didn’t mean to pry. I just kinda do it without thinking, you know? I didn’t mean to upset you.

 

**Come on Juro. Please don’t be dumb.**

 

Juro: [hesitates, before sighing] I guess…. It’s okay. Look I over reacted too. I just… my past it’s… a sore subject. I know you didn’t mean to be insensitive. And everyone is right. We need to work together and fight the greater evil.

 

**You’ve got to be kidding me.**

 

Haise: Yeah! Let’s do this!

 

**Izo and Akinari seem to nod in agreement. Amane was silent, but didn’t object either. This was insane. Actually insane.**

 

Ayame: Are you all idiots?! Do you not see how bad this situation is. We don’t know how we got here. Hell, we may not even know who we are. We cannot trust anyone. We are vulnerable! We are at the complete mercy of whoever locked us here. You think they will just watch and let us waltz out of here? 

 

Udo: Hah, c’mon Ayame, can’t you see your outnumbered? 

 

Ayame: Udo, you must understand, right? Things aren’t this simple. Things CAN’T be this simple! Not when whoever took us put so much effort into this.

 

**Udo flashes a grin at me and shrugs**

 

Udo: Hey, what I think doesn’t matter. I’ll just see what happens and roll with it.

Ayame: Amane? You’ve been quiet, what do you think?

 

Amane: ….

 

**Out of nowhere, the small boy begins sobbing, loud and pained cries fell from his mouth and he crumples to the ground. Asa runs up to him and embraces him.**

 

Asa: [In a hushed voice] It’s okay, you’re okay. We’ll be fine if we stick together. Don’t let them get to you, alright? Everyone will be okay.

 

**Amane, still sobbing, accepts Asa’s embrace and continues to cry into her shoulder. I guess that answered that then. This was horribly frustrating.**

 

Ayame: I- you know what? I’m not gonna sit here and play friends with the rest of you, okay? I’ll stick to myself. You dumbasses do what you want and die for all I care.

 

**My head pounding, I turn and storm out of the lobby and into the hallway the led to the pool.**

**I had noticed earlier that each room had a nameplate, so I assume these must be the suites we could stay in.**

**The hallway wrapped around in a ‘L’ shape, and pool being at the end of it. After reading through the names I finally find the door with my name in it.**

**I try the doorknob, it’s locked. Well now what the fuck do I do?**

**My head is killing me, killing me, killing-**

 

Monokuma: Hey hey hey Music Girl! Ya need your key?

 

**Monokuma appeared out of nowhere. Literally nowhere. But my head hurt too much to care.**

 

Ayame: Just give it to me.

 

Monokuma: [shivering] S-so cold. Burr. Here, take it frosty.

 

**He throws the room key at me and promptly disappeared. Thank god.**

**The key was attached to a ring and a wooden plate with my room number etched into it. I slide it in the lock and turn.**

**The door clicks. I turn the knob and push open the door. I don’t have much time to take in my surrounding, but the room was just as nice and elegant as the rest of the hotel.**

**The floor was carpeted with a white fuzzy material, and the walls were a light pink, almost white. A double door sat at the opposite end of the room, but I was too tired to check it.**

**Making sure to lock the door, I fall onto the king sized bed with had velvety blankets and silk pillowcases. It smelled fresh and clean, like it had just come out of the laundry.**

**With that, I began sobbing. Why. Why was I here. What did I do wrong?**

**I bury my face into a pillow, the silk cool on my face. I continue crying. I can’t trust the others. I can’t.**

**Trusting is how you get killed. Strangers. They were all strangers. I guess in truth I found myself jealous at the fact they could all trust each other.**

**But I can’t trust them they are making a mistake. They cannot trust each other, as nice of a thought as it was. Someone kidnapped us. Someone stole our memories of how we got here. I hated them.**

**I hated whoever locked us here, and I hated the other students for not understanding. You can’t trust anyone in these situations. At this point I had stopped crying. I was just tired. So tired. And my head hurt.**

**I crawl under the sheets and wrap them around me, taking deep breaths. I must keep to myself here. I must. I must. I must be cold, I must be unpleasant. Maybe that’s just who I am anyways.**

**Cold. Uncaring. Selfish. That’s who I am. That’s who I am.**

 

**With these thoughts in my mind, I drift into an empty sleep with no dreams.**

 

**[PROLOGUE END]**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Character Info

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Small bits of information on the characters that go a bit more in-depth than the Prologue.

Ayame: Short, olive colored hair with hazel eyes and wire-frame glasses, has bass-clef hair clip pulling back one side of her bangs. Wears brown school uniform jacket over a white shirt, left sleeve is always pulled up. Wears a dark brown skirt, has an eighth-note pin on the right side of her jacket. Wears knee high stockings with black shoes. Tends to get bad headaches that render her unable to move and speak if things get too overwhelming. Can get frustrated when situations become too much, hindering her thought processes and causing her anxiety. She is the Ultimate Cellist, becoming famous due to the fact she can sight read any score perfectly on cello. In reality, Ayame despises playing the instrument as it irritates her headaches.

 

Kae: Muted green hair in twin drills,  purple cat hair clip on right side of head. Teal/green eyes with big round glasses. Freckles across nose, and pink cheeks. Wears a blue patterned apron over a brown plaid dress, both are covered in red patches. Wears black socks with brown, laced up boots. Tends to accidently speak thoughts aloud without meaning to. Kae has the ability to design any costume or outfit down to small details just based on a single picture very quickly. She became considered the Ultimate Seamstress after making costumes for many popular idols. 

 

Akinari: Blue-grey hair, medium length. Blue eyes with dark circles underneath, is very pale.He wears his mask to cover half his face, though if he gets flustered or nervous he will pull it across his whole face. Wears a long, grey striped scarf over a long brown trench coat. Wears khaki pants with brown shoes. Doesn’t speak, only talks through journal he always has with him. Akinari cannot stand having skin to skin contact with other people, causing him to completely cover up. This caused him to gain the title of Ultimate Disguiser, as no one truly knows his real personality or identity (name is an alias).

 

Rui: Strawberry blonde hair pulled up into two, messy buns. Has light pink eyes and pink cheeks,but besides is very pale. Wears a short, light pink dress with a red bakers apron on her waist. Wears white knee length stockings with pink slip on shoes. Seems outwardly shy, but says outgoing and shocking things when she gets too comfortable around people. She gained the title of Ultimate Baker due to being able to make delicious treats very quickly. Tends to not eat anything that isn’t sweet, claiming that she is allergic to ‘bitter foods’.

 

Dayu:  Medium length, white hair. Has muddy green eyes with freckles covering his whole face .Wears a grey, turtleneck sweater with a multitude of different writing utensils sticking out from the neck of it. Wears long, blue jeans and white sneakers. Is very confident with everything but his own identity. Will get flustered when asked anything about himself, but can tell you anything you need to know about anyone else down to a tee. Earned his title of Ultimate Forger by being able to copy anyones handwriting perfectly, just by observing their actions and personality.

 

Juro: Long, brown hair pulled back in green bandana. Wears a loose fitting white shirt with a green-yellow vest and brown cargo pants. Always has compass around his neck and a jug with water at his waist. Carries a pocket knife at all times, but note that this is missing when he wakes up in the hotel. Wears brown hiking boots and white socks, has tan skin. He brags a lot about his survival skills, and says he has keen instincts. However, he is shown to actually be a quite an anxious guy, who gets scared at dangerous situations. He earned his title of Ultimate Survivalist when he survived over two months in the wild as a young teen when a plane he was riding crashed (leaving him orphaned as well). Although this incident is what earned him his title, it also seems to be the stem of his anxiety.

 

June: Has long, purple hair that is half pulled up, and bobby pins on her right and left sides of her head. She has pale skin and grey-purple eyes. She wears a typical school girl uniform with knee high socks and purple shoes. She tends to be quiet, and always seems to be observing people, causing them to gravitate away from her. When she is talking, she tends to be cold, rude, and has a very know-it-all attitude. However she also seems to fiercely want to protect those she considers friends, and becomes frustrated when she fails to do so. June earned her title of Ultimate Memorizer by having a photographic memory. She cannot forget a single detail of anything, no matter how trivial (unless forced to forget). She often shows signs of being frustrated by this, saying she doesn’t want to remember such useless things.

 

Udo: Has shaggy blonde hair and green eyes, wears a cloud and lightning bolt clip in his hair. Wears a blue winter coat with a red scarf, but strangely wears blue shorts and flip flops. He claims this is because he must be prepared for all types of weather. Is extremely arrogant when it comes to his ability to predict the future. He earned his title of Ultimate Meteorologist by always predicting upcoming weather with 100% accuracy. He claims that he can not just predict the weather, but the entire future. 

 

Asa: Has short, blonde hair and grey eyes with freckles on her nose, is moderately tan. Wears a yellow track suit top over a grey t-shirt with grey shorts. She wears ankle socks that are white with red stripes, and red sneakers. She is very outgoing, and can also come off as very irritating to people with a short patience. She tends to swing from being trusting of people to being wary of them unpredictably. She will have bursts of high energy where she is very perceptive and  eager to face anything, but will quickly crash, becoming tired and uninterested in whatever  she was just doing. She earned her title of Ultimate Sprinter by being able to run short distances in inhumanly fast times. There are even rumors that she was able to outrun a cheetah, but that can’t be true, right?

 

Hisae: Has medium length, black hair with clipped back bangs. Has a very pale complexion and green eyes, with freckles covering her face, arms, and legs. She wears a typical school girl uniform, with white ankle socks and black shoes. Has no outstanding personality traits and is considered to be quite a bore by her classmates. She  has fairly decent  deductive reasoning skills, and isn’t afraid to insert her opinions in conversations, though they tend to be ignored. She earned her title of Ultimate Lucky Student by being picked in a lottery of all the countries High-School students to attend Hope’s Peak Academy, though she does not display any good luck besides that. She refuses to believe that she is talentless, and tends to like and try out the other students talents, though isn’t very good at any of them.

Izo and Ayuka: Izo has shaggy red hair , and Ayuka has red hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. Izo and Ayuka both have yellow eyes and pale skin. Izo wears a tight, grey sports shirt with black leggings and grey sneakers. Ayuka wears a grey figure skating outfit, with Knee high black socks and grey sneakers. Despite their matching appearances, the pair are polar opposites. Izo is soft spoken and doesn’t like being the center of attention. Ayuka is very outgoing, normally speaking for the both of them, and craves the attention and acceptance of others. The duo earned the title of Ultimate Figure Skating Pair due to their dynamic skating performances, their duets being undefeated. Everyone ‘ships’ them and believes they are a romantic couple. In reality, besides in their sport the two aren’t really fond of each other, rather they have been forced to be a ‘couple’ by pressure from their coach and the media.

 

Nori: Has grey hair pulled up into a neat bun and tied with a white ribbon.  She has pale skin and orange eyes, and wears glasses (though she doesn’t really need them). She always has a pen tucked behind her ear. She wears a dark suit top with a red tie, and a short black skirt with black heels. She always carried a notepad with her and is constantly taking down notes about what is happening around her. She lives life as an observer, often separating herself from situations and viewing as an outsider. She earned her title of Ultimate Journalist by her insightful writing and fearless investigative skills. She puts herself in situations others would find traumatizing to get a story out to the public. 

 

Amane: Is short, with  medium length, spiky brown hair with blue eyes. He wears a green safari hat around his neck. He has tan skin. He wears a green t-shirt with a tan safari vest over it, and cargo shorts. He also wears brown sandals. Amane, though extremely soft and caring towards animals, is rather awkward and cold towards people. He notes on many occasions how he cares more about animals than humans. He earned his title of Ultimate Zoologist when he discovered a new species of bird at a young age while on a retreat in some rain forest. He is famous for his expanse knowledge of animals, even the most obscure, at such a young age. Due to having spent so much time with animals, his social skills with humans is lacking.

 

Roka: Has short, pale, grey-blue hair with grey eyes. He wears glasses. He wears a grey graphic t-shirt with a globe on it, and tan cargo shorts. He wears green sneakers. He has a brown satchel bag that is filled with mapping paper and pencils.  Roka is very intuitive and observant of his surroundings. He is difficult to talk to due to him often staring off into space in thought, though when you finally can get his attention he has a soft spoken and sweet attitude. He earned his title of Ultimate Cartographer by being able to map anything, simply by walking through the area once. His talent makes him more observant to his surroundings, rather than the people in it.

 

Aisa: She is very tall and thin. She Has light blue hair that is half up in a bun, and half down. She has green eyes. She wears a pink sweater pulled over a black leotard and pink tights. She wears pink ballet flats on her feet, and pink leg warmers. She is very laid back and easy to talk to. However, she tends to take even the most serious situations lightly. She earned her title of Ultimate Ballerina by making it into the world's most prestigious ballet school at a very young age. Despite her grace and elegance on the stage, in real life Aisa is actually quite clumsy.


	3. Policy of Isolationism, Never Leads to War. (Daily Life;Part 1)

  


****

 

**When I awaken, I’m not confused, per say. I don’t panic or wonder where I am, I just lay, staring at the pinkish ceiling.**

 

**As my mind wakes, I slowly sit up. . I’m in the Suite I fell asleep in early, the lights were still on as I had left them.**

 

**I was also still in my clothes and shoes. What time was it? The lack of windows in this place made me disoriented.**

 

**I look at the nightstand, which by the way looked just as fancy as the rest of the Hotel. As I hoped, there is a digital clock sitting there.**

 

**It reads 2:47 am. What time did I fall asleep? What time did we arrive here?**

 

**I had been too confused to look for a clock earlier. I also notice something I didn’t before, which was a monitor planted on the wall in front of the bed, so you can see it while laying down.**

 

**At first I figure it must be a T.V. , but when I try turning it on or finding a remote there is no luck. Whatever.**

 

**I also take the time to investigate the double doors in the back that I didn’t earlier. Inside I’m pretty shocked to find multiple copies of the outfit I was wearing now.**

 

**They even had the bass clef hair pins. This was truly uncanny.**

 

**Besides that, there was also some pairs of clothes that differed from what I wore now. There were a couple of grey sweatshirts and a few pairs of black yoga pants.**

 

**I grab a sweatshirt and a pair of pants. I may aswell change into something more comfy, right?**

 

**Next the bed and near the main door, there is a sliding glass door that leads to a bathroom.**

 

**The bathroom is a bit more plain compared to the rest of this hotel. There is a white tiled floor and wall, and a white marble bathtub/shower**

 

**. I strip the clothes I’m wearing and pull on the new outfit. It felt...nice. I exit back into the main suite.**

 

**I feel wide awake now. And I’m hungry. Should I go to the dining hall and eat?**

 

**My mind wanders back to the rules we read on the Monopads. It was night time now, but the dining hall was open still.**

 

**And as long as I didn’t sleep there was no rule stating I had to remain in my room.**

**Grabbing my room key, I unlock the door and step out into the hallway, which is now dimly lit.**

 

**I pray everyone else is asleep. I assume this to be true since everything felt...quiet. The whole building seemed asleep.**

 

**After that blow-up earlier it was nice to have some peace. I wander down the hallway and out into the main lobby.**

 

**I was shocked to see that on one of the coffee tables in front of a couch, there was a pile of Monopads.**

 

**Did the others not take them? I still had mine, though I did leave it back in the room. Idiots. They were truly idiots.**

 

**I can’t help but smirk. Turning away, I enter the dining hall. The tiled floor feels cool on my bare feet, and the room is also dimly lit.**

 

**I wander back into the kitchen to find food. I’m surprised to see a tray of cookies sitting on oven top. Did Rui make them?**

 

**Like hell I was going to eat them then. After going through the cabinets, I decide to make a sandwich. Just plain cheese was my favourite.**

 

**After I make that, I decide to brew some tea. When I finally finished, I take my food and drink and sit at one of the tables in the dining hall.**

 

**I chew on my sandwich, not really thinking of anything in particular.**

 

**Suddenly, the door to the dining hall opens and another student steps in. Shit.**

 

???: Hello, is someone here?

 

**I may aswell answer. No point playing dumb.**

 

Ayame: It’s Ayame. The Cello girl.

 

**The other student steps into view. It’s Asa. I feel sort of sick.**

 

Asa: Oh, you huh.

 

Ayame: Yup, me.

 

**She walks up to the table I’m sitting at.**

 

Asa: Mind if I take a seat?

 

Ayame: Yes. Please leave.

 

**Ignoring me she sits down next to me anyways. Why. Why was she here. I don’t want to talk to any of these people, but Asa made me particularly angry.**

 

**She was such an idealist.**

 

Asa: Me and the others decided we should stay in our rooms during night-time.

 

Ayame: Wow. I don’t give a fuck.

 

**Asa looks down at the table, stung by my words. Good.**

 

Ayame: Didn’t I already make it clear I’m not interested in playing your little ‘lets all get along!’ game? It makes me want to vomit.

 

**Please. Please just leave.**

 

Asa: You made it very clear, Ayame.

 

**She looks up, and I’m surprised to see the anger burning in her eyes.**

 

Asa: I just don’t get it, ya know? Why. Why are you trying so hard to be the villain?

 

**I can’t help but laugh out loud at that.**

 

Ayame: What, do you think this is some kind of story? Do you really think it’s as simple as ‘Oh look, she’s the bad guy!’. This is real life. There are no archetypes here. I’m not the villain, you’re not the protagonist, and the rest of those idiots aren’t you’re sidekicks who will help you escape this situation.

 

**Asa still looks at me with burning eyes.**

Asa: In times like these we can only rely on friends. That’s all I’m trying to do. The enemy is the person or people who brought us here, no? They want us to not trust and kill each other, don’t you see!

 

**This girl was truly delusional.**

 

Ayame: I think you’re the one who isn’t seeing, Asa. Don’t you think that maybe their plan was to get you all to work together so they can shatter that hope when someone snaps and kills? Sorry to ruin your perfect picture, but it’s going to happen. Someone will die, and someone will murder.

 

Asa: How the hell can you say that?! You don’t know that’s true!

 

Ayame: And how do you know it’s true that everyone here had pure intentions. Did you consider that maybe the person who trapped us is also hiding amongst us?

 

**Asa is clearly taken aback by this. How did she not already consider the possibility?**

 

Ayame: You see? You can’t trust those others. You can’t trust me. Hell, can you even trust yourself? That’s the point I am trying to make.

 

**Enough of this. I get up, leaving my sandwich half eaten and the tea to go cold. Without looking at Asa, I walk towards the doors. But before I can leave-**

 

Asa: 8am. At 8am everyone is meeting here to strategize. I would like you to be there also, Ayame.

 

**…**

 

Ayame: You are a delusional bitch.

 

**With that, I walk out the door and head back to my room. After everything I said, Asa still couldn’t see?**

 

**She still couldn’t see that we could trust nobody? I wanted to at least get her to see she couldn’t trust me. I thought that would snap her out of it.**

 

**But she is still trying. Why.?**

 

**I return to my room and throw myself back down onto my bed.**

 

**I’m still wide awake, I must have fallen asleep pretty early. I look again at the clock. It’s now 4:00 am.**

 

**I would’ve liked to leave my room and do something, but thinking about it now there wasn’t much to do.**

 

**There was the dining hall and kitchen which were good for nothing but food.**

 

**The Ball Room I had woken up in seemed empty except for the tables, and the pool would be closed right now.**

 

**The Storage room posed the most interesting adventure, but I was a bit worried to leave my room now.**

 

Ayame: Don’t be stupid

 

**I scowl at myself. I didn’t have to follow the rules set by the others!**

 

**Though I wasn’t in the mood to run into Asa again, so I guess staying in my room was the best bet until 7:00am, when nightime was over.**

 

**At Least I wouldn’t be questioned then.**

 

**But I had nothing to do to entertain myself either. I had noticed that there seemed to be a complete lack of ANYTHING to do in this place. I hadn’t seen any books, games, hell, even toys.**

 

**The Monopad’s offered nothing but the rules.**

 

**The more I think about, the more concerned I grow.**

 

**The only real thing we had to entertain ourselves was the pool, but even that was limited in terms of things to do.**

 

**Was this done on purpose? Perhaps they were trying to drive us crazy with boredom?**

**Maybe soon we will find the only fun thing to do is kill.**

 

**Despite myself, I snicker.**

**I couldn’t help but look forward to seeing the other students snap. I didn’t want anyone to die, per say, but they were all naive.**

 

**I looked forward to their call to reality. Would I kill anyone?**

 

**I ponder this.**

 

**It would be fun, I suppose. Setting up mysteries were always fun.**

**But I wasn’t completely sadistic either. I didn’t want to kill people for self satisfaction.**

**I come to the conclusion that I wouldn’t kill unless threatned myself.**

 

**I still wanted to keep a moral high-ground in some ways.**

 

**I look at the clock again.**

 

**I spent 10 minutes thinking about that. 2 hours 50 minutes still morning. I groan. I decided now would be the time to do THAT.**

 

**IT was something I was particularly skilled at.**

 

**When my head-aches get really bad, sometimes the only thing I can do is zone out and not think at all.**

 

**I shut of the light in my room and lay in my bed. I stare at the ceiling and let my eyes unfocus. I clear my mind and think of nothing.**

**Nothing.**

**Nothing.**

 

**…**

 

**I must have eventually fallen asleep, and I was awoken to the sound of the bell ringing through the monitor on the wall.**

 

**I sit up so I can see it.**

 

**Monokuma’s face flashed up on the screen, and his voice comes through.**

 

_Rise and Shine Brats! It is now 7am, and nighttime has officially ended. Lets face the new day with our heads held  and murder in our hearts! Puhuhuhuh._

 

**The screen flashed back off. That bear truly was edgy.**

 

**I rise from the bed, rubbing my eyes. Doing so makes me realize I had fallen asleep in my glasses. I pat down the sheets of the bed until I finally find them.**

 

**Thankfully I hadn’t rolled on them in my sleeps. I place them back on and walk back to the closet I had explored the previous night.**

 

**I look inside, considering whether or not to change into one of the uniforms. I decide to, since having good hygiene and a good routine is important when you’re imprisoned.**

 

**It’s something to keep you sane.**

**By the time I’m finished changing, it’s 7:15am.**

 

**I recall what Asa had told me last night. Apparently everyone was meeting in the dining hall at 8:00.**

 

**I decide, surprisingly, that it would be best to go. I needed to know what they would all be up to. Keep enemies closer, right? Enemies…..were they?**

 

**I ponder this.**

 

**I didn’t hate them really, they were just strangers. I didn’t trust them. That didn’t make them enemies per say.**

 

**I again recall something Asa said at the dining hall last night.**

 

**_“Why are you trying so hard to be the villain?”_ **

 

**She didn’t get it. Being wary of people I don’t know didn’t make me evil. She’s treating me like I’m NOT the one acting rationally. She has too much blind faith.**

 

**I sigh.**

 

**I could already tell this meeting would give me a headache.**

 

**I still have time, so I decide to more thoroughly investigate my room. This time, I check under the bed, in drawers and cabinets, and behind furniture.**

 

**I comb through the room the best I can.**

 

**I don’t know what I was looking for or expecting to find. Maybe subconsciously I’m looking for an exit like the rest of them.**

 

**In my nightstand drawer, I find a spare key to the room, with a note attached to it.**

 

**_How much do yyooooou trust your partner? Why not give them this spare key? It’s not like they can kill ya!_ **

**_Have A Great Stay!_ **

**_~Manager Monokuma_ **

 

**Hah. Like hell would I give this key to Asa. I had almost forgotten about the partner rules until now. I pray that Asa won’t drag me into any crap.**

 

**I leave the spare in the draw. That was all I found that was of much interest.**

 

**By now it’s 7:50am, so I decide to head to the dining hall.**

 

**I grab my room key and again make sure I lock my door on the way out. As soon as I step out of my room, I see another student. It’s Roka.**

 

**He sees me, and awkwardly averted my gaze. I almost laughed. I guess that scene I made yesterday really made the other students scared of me.**

 

**I don’t say anything to Roka and push by him. To my surprise, I hear voices coming from the pool room**

 

**. I didn’t think anyone would be in there this early. Curious, I go inside.**

 

**Aisa is, again in the pool, though this time she wears a swimsuit. With her is none other than Asa, who is also in a swimsuit.**

 

**Crap. Before I can escape, Aisa notices me.**

 

Aisa: Hey hey Ayame! Waz up!

 

**So maybe not ALL the students were scared of me.**

 

Ayame: Yeah um….hey.

 

Aisa: Wanna grab a suit and do laps with me and Asa? We gotta stay in shape you know!

 

**Asa remains silent, not looking at me.**

 

Ayame: Aren’t you guys all meeting in like five minutes?

 

Aisa: [grins] That’s enough time to swim at least 10 laps! Me and Asa have been here since seven!

 

Ayame: That’s….

 

**Who would want to swim that early? Athletes are weird.**

 

Ayame: You do you I guess, I’m not getting soaked.

 

**I turn and leave the pool room. I head out to the main lobby, where again I see the pile of Monopads sitting on the table.**

 

**I guess I’ll ask about that during the meeting. What are they thinking? As I walk into the dining hall, the smell of pancakes and bacon waft into my nose.**

 

**The air is warm and pleasant, and so was the atmosphere.**

 

**The room was brightly lit now that it wasn’t nighttime (seems the lights get dimmed, though not turned off during then).**

 

**All the other students, besides Aisa and Asa were here it seemed.**

 

**I noticed Rui was in the kitchen, cooking pancakes, and Juro, surprisingly, was also there cooking bacon.**

 

**The other students sat off in small groups, and I couldn’t help but notice most people were in their partnerships, though some partners sat together too.**

 

**I find an empty table and sit down. My stomach growls, as I hadn’t gotten to finish my snack last night and I don’t know when I last ate before that.**

 

**But I couldn’t trust food that Rui made. She seemed like the type that would act innocent then stab you in the back.**

 

**I sit there alone, watching the other students.**

 

**Nori, Ayuka, Izo, and Kae all shared a table, and were chatting amongst themselves while eating.**

 

**Even Izo seemed more lively and talkative today. Fantastic.**

 

**Nori seemed to be doing less talking and more writing. I see a frustrated Dayu sitting with Roka and Akinari.**

 

Dayu: I won’t be able to copy your handwriting if I don’t hear your voice! This is vital information!

 

**Akinari, clearly but wrongfully apologetic, keeps shaking his head. Roka pats Dayu on the back.**

 

Roka: There there. Not everyone’s talent can be foolproof.

 

Dayu: [sobbing] B-but I’ve never not been able to copy someone’s handwriting before seeing it!

 

Roka: Akinari’s whole talent is hiding who he is. Don’t blame the poor kid.

 

**Part of me felt sympathetic towards Akinari.**

 

**This is the 2nd time in a day his talent had gotten him into trouble. At another table, Udo, June, and Haise sit.**

 

Udo: C’mooooon Haisee gimme your spare room keeeyy I gave you mine!

 

Haise: I already told you I didn’t want it anyways, stop giving it back to me!

 

**Haise chucks something, presumably the key, back at Udo, but he dodges it.**

 

Udo: Hahaha, didcha think you could hit me? I see the future, you can’t play those games with me.

 

June: Having good instincts doesn’t mean you can see the future. Anyone could dodge that key.

 

**Before saying anything, Udo throws the key across the dining hall at Amane, who is sitting alone eating cereal.**

 

**It smacks him in the cheek and falls into his bowl. Wordlessly, he takes the key and puts it in his vest pocket.**

 

**I smirk. Serves Udo right. I hope Amane kills him in his sleep.**

 

Udo: Heeeeyy! Animal freak, give that back! Iz Haise’s not yours!

 

Amane: You gave it to me.

 

Udo: I didn’t give it to you!! I was just proving June wrong, which I did. Give it back!

 

Amane: No.

 

June: To bad you couldn’t foresee this happening.

 

**Udo slumps back in his chair, defeated.**

 

**Lastly, Asa and Aisa finally arrive. Rui and Juro come in from the kitchen and place platters of food on a long table set up towards the front of the dining hall.**

 

**Everyone got up to go get food, still chattering with each other. The atmosphere was nice, and despite myself I enjoyed watching everyone.**

 

Aisa: Hey hey! Ayame, you want to eat something! Rui and Juro cooked plenty.

 

Ayame: Ah… no thanks. Not hungry.

 

**I lie. As if I was going to risk getting poisoned for food.**

 

**I’ll eat later and make something myself. Everyone else piles the food onto their plates and returns to their seats.**

 

**I still remain by myself, and unsurprisingly no one offers to let me join them.**

 

**Even Asa and Aisa went and sat with June Udo and Haise.**

 

**I did notice Asa looking at me, though she didn’t seem mad. Maybe she was just grateful I was here.**

 

**Asa puts her plate down and stand up, drawing everyone’s attention. Let’s see how this goes…**

 

Asa: Alright everyone! I’m glad you all decided to show up. I know how stressful everything was yesterday, for everyone.

 

**She glances at me. Hah.**

 

Asa: I want to emphasize again how important it is for us to work together. That’s why we should meet here every morning like this, okay?

 

**Everyone, strangely, remains silent for the most part. Asa shift nervously.**

 

Asa: Today we should break off into groups and search for an exit, or anyway to contact help. We must have gotten here somehow, that means there must be a way out.

 

June: What if the way we got in here was the blocked doors in the lobby? We cannot break them down now as per the rules Monokuma set.

 

Asa: To hell with those dumb rules! If that is the exit I can smash it down and we can leave!

 

**Did she have a death wish? I couldn’t stay silent at this, at this rate she would lead us all to our deaths.**

 

Ayame: Do you really think it’s that simple?

 

**Everyone turns their heads towards me.**

 

Udo: I thought you weren’t playing along with us Music Girl? Have a change of heart?

 

Ayame: No. But I’m not about to let this whole thing end so soon by you all killing yourselves by breaking the rules. I noticed you all left your Monopad’s behind in the lobby, why is that? Wasn’t it made clear their vital?

 

Kae: We decided we didn’t want anything that the Mastermind gave us! It can’t be trusted.

 

Ayame: That’s not a smart way of thinking. You need to know and follow the rules to stay alive, isn’t that obvious?

 

Asa: We can’t play by their rules though!

 

Ayame: What's the alternative? What makes you think Monokuma won’t kill us?

 

**I felt tension build in the room, the peaceful atmosphere shattered by me.**

 

Ayame: I hate the mastermind just as much as the rest of you, but I also understand that if you don’t follow their rules they will die, plain and simple.

 

Asa: That’s no-

 

Ayame: If you doubt me then why don’t one of you go break a rule and see what happens?

 

**Everyone is silent.**

 

Ayame: Didn’t think anyone would be eager. Look, it’s not like I want to give into the masterminds rules, but we do what we need to do to survive in this situation. That’s why I'm not playing along with Asa’s plan, I think it would lead to my death.

 

**Asa stared at me, looking hurt. I don’t know why, but I decide to soften my blow a bit.**

 

Ayame: Ah...look. In an ideal situation with fewer unknown variables, I’m sure Asa’s idea would work. But this situation  is less than ideal if you couldn’t tell.

 

**Asa still looks hurt. Whatever. I tried to be nice.**

 

Asa: Then what do you propose we do?

 

**I stop for a minute and think through my words carefully. I must remain cold.**

 

Ayame: I say we don’t talk about escape for a little while at least. We don’t work together, we don’t fight the mastermind. Simply put, we survive.

 

Roka: Until when, exactly?

 

Ayame: [shrugs] Until someone snaps and kills.

 

**Asa turns sharply at me, her eyes again burning with anger and they did the previous night**

 

Asa: Stop saying things like that! You’re wrong, no one is goin-

 

Kae: No, hold on. I agree with Ayame.

 

**We all turn our heads, shocked. I was taken aback….Kae?**

 

Asa: Kae… what are you saying?

 

**Kae awkwardly gets up from her chair to address everyone.**

 

Kae: I...um...know I said the opposite yesterday, but after thinking about it...I also think working together in this nature may not be the best thing.

 

Asa: But Kae.. I thought you understood its vitality!

 

Kae: I do! Well, I did. But um, like Ayame said, your image only really works in an idealistic situation. With the risk of a traitor…..

 

Dayu: How do we know there is a traitor? Isn’t that just something Ayame made up because she is paranoid?

 

**Paranoid?**

 

Ayame: I’m not paranoid, just realistic. I’ve stated this a thousand times, but we do not know each other, at all. It’s too soon to say that everyone here is innocent.

 

**To my shock, more and more students seem to be swayed by my words instead of Asa’s this time.**

 

June: Opposing what I said last night, I also believe Ayame is right. Although it would be efficent to work together to try and escape, I’ve combed through most of the hotel and there is certainly not an exit. It’s not like the area is that expanse. Working together now would prove to be dangerous.

 

Roka: I’ve also gone through and mapped the hotel. Besides the blacked out doors in the lobby there really is nothing to pose as an exit.

 

Udo: Mhm, mhm, I agree with Encyclopedia.

 

**Asa stares at everyone, her eyes wide.**

 

Asa: Why is everyone having a change of heart all of a sudden? This way of thinking it….

 

**She tapers off. I can see the gears turning in her head as she more thoroughly assesses the situation.**

 

Ayame: This way of thinking seems...reasonable?

 

**Wordlessly, now looking pale, Asa turns and leaves the dining hall.**

 

Hisae: Guys, did you really all have to turn against her like that? I mean…

 

Ayame: You agree with us too, don’t you.

 

Hisae: Well….yes. After thinking a lot on my own last night I began to agree with your train of thought Ayame:

 

**Around me, the rest of the students nod in agreement.**

 

**I feel a pit in my stomach. Something is wrong.**

 

**Although I expected some students to have a change of heart, not all of them at once.**

 

**Did something happen during night-time that I didn’t know about?**

 

Juro: Well, if we all agree then. Ayame, does that mean you’re our leader now?

 

**Leader? No. This wasn’t what I was trying to do.**

 

Ayame: No. I clearly stated we aren’t working together, meaning there should be no leaders but…

 

**For a brief moment, I feel like I start thinking like Asa would.**

 

**Traitor in the group or not, it would still be efficient and safe if we all meet together like this some points in the day and exchange information.**

 

**We need to get a grasp of the situation.**

 

Ayame: ….but even so, I think at 6:00pm and 8:00am respectively we should meet in the dining hall for dinner and breakfast, just so we can keep tabs on what everyone else is doing for personal safety, you know?

 

Ayuka: I’m on board, it makes sense.

 

Rui: Y-yeah, I don’t wanna be clueless on what everyone else is doing.

 

**Again, the other students all pitch in their agreement. I still feel uneasy about there changes in mindset.**

 

Ayame: Erm, okay. That’s it then. Oh, also grab your Monopads from the lobby when you’re done here.

 

**I sit back down, my head pounding. This wasn’t right.**

 

**Something was definitely off.**

 

**But this is what I wanted right? Do I have a right to complain? I sit alone and think over this for a little while.**

 

**The others begin to finish their food and leave the dining hall, the conversation being a lot more polite and less friendly.**

 

**I decide I should try and figure out WHY the students changed their way of thinking.**

 

**I guess first it would make sense to talk to Kae, since she was the first one to speak out. I look around to see if she is still in the dining hall, but she isn’t I get up and leave.**

 

**As I enter the lobby I notice fewer Monopads are sitting on the table. I also see Kae sitting by herself on one of the chairs. I approach her.**

 

Ayame: Ah….hey Kae.

 

**She looks up at me seemingly like she just noticed I was there. Her eyes are distant like she was deep in thought.**

 

Kae: Oh Ayame, hey. What’s up?

 

**I take a seat and one of the couches across from Kae and pull my legs up.**

 

Ayame: I wanted to talk to you about what happened back there. Why did you decide to back me up when you seemed to be with Asa yesterday?

 

**Kae shifts nervously**

 

Kae: Well uh, like Hisae said, after sleeping on it your ideas just seemed to make more sense is all.

 

**C’mon Kae. Don’t bullshit me.**

 

Ayame: Is that really it? Did all 14 of you really just magically have a change of heart all at once.

 

Kae: Yes! I mean, it seems like it. I mean….

 

**She trails off, her eyes clouding over, clearly thinking hard again.**

 

Ayame: I know something must have happened last night. What is-

 

Kae: Did you know I have a twin?

 

**She cuts me off. What’s with this?**

 

**Either she was trying to change the subject or she’s in her own world and not comprehending my words.**

 

Ayame: Of course I didn’t know. Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?

 

Kae: When I got picked for Hope’s Peak she got really upset that we wouldn’t be going to the same High School anymore. I was sad too, but I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity. We got in a real big fight about it and…

 

**I only just notice tears had begun to roll down her cheeks.**

 

Kae: ...and when I left for my first day at Hope’s Peak we weren’t on good terms still, and I was going to amend with her once I got home but now….but now…

 

**She buried her face into her hands. I sat there awkwardly, not really knowing what to say. This was the exact opposite of what I wanted.**

 

**I don’t need emotional bonds with people.**

 

Ayame: So what you’re saying is you decided to go against Asa since you want to selfishly survive right?

 

**She looks up at me, her eyes wide and bloodshot.**

 

Kae: It’s bad, I know. It’s really really really bad to think like this. But part of me wouldn’t care what happens to everyone as long as I get to see my sister again. And it’s bad. I’m bad.

 

Ayame: No, it’s not bad.

 

**Kae’s eyes widen even more.**

 

Ayame: Why shouldn’t you think about yourself in this situation? The others are strangers. Make your own survival top priority and let the others worry about their own.

 

Kae: B-but is that really okay?

 

**I shrug**

 

Ayame: It’s for you to decide I suppose, but I think it’s fine.

 

**With that I get up and leave, getting all the information I felt I would from Kae.**

 

**So her sister was her motive for changing sides.**

 

**But that still didn’t answer why everyone simultaneously decided to disregard Asa.**

 

**Just then, my stomach growls. I was hungry. Really hungry.**

 

**I decide to return to the dining hall and make myself something to eat, since I still refuse to trust Juro and Rui’s cooking.**

 

**I make my way back to the dining hall, and find it mostly empty, except for Amane sitting alone again eating cereal.**

 

**He doesn’t even glance at me as I walk back to the kitchen. I kind of wanted cereal too now, but I couldn’t find any boxes of it.**

 

**Crap. I was going to have to ask Amane where he got it or waste who knows how long going through the storage room.**

 

**Reluctantly, I call out from the doorway that connects the dining hall to the kitchen.**

 

Ayame: Hey um, Amane?

 

**He doesn’t answer.**

 

Ayame: Amane.

 

**Still nothing. I sigh and raise my voice.**

 

Ayame: AMANE

 

**Finally, he looks up at me, his eyes looking bored.**

 

Amane: What do you want?

 

Ayame: Where’s the cereal kept in the storage room?

 

Amane: It’s not.

 

**What.**

 

Ayame: Haha, um? What do you mean it’s not?

 

Amane: It’s not in the storage room.

 

Ayame: Then where is it?

 

Amane: Not in the storage room.

 

**Amane turned out to be much colder than I thought.**

 

**The way he broke down the day before made me think he would have a softer personality similar to Akinari or Izo.**

 

Ayame: Ok, I understand it’s NOT in the storage room, I’m asking you where it is.

 

Amane: My room.

 

Ayame: Your room?

 

**Amane sighs, somehow seeming annoyed at ME.**

 

**Was he that ignorant to his own rudeness? Not that I was the most pleasant person either but….whatever.**

 

Amane: Yes. I took all the cereal, and put it in my room.

 

Ayame: What the fuck? Why would you do that.

 

**He shrugs.**

 

Amane: I like cereal.

 

Ayame: Well… can you get me an unopened box from your room?

 

**I wasn’t going to ask for an open one, he could tamper with it.**

 

Amane: Okay. But you have to fight me for it.

 

**Okay seriously, what the fuck. I take a deep breath in.**

 

**Remain calm. I don’t want to become anyone’s target….more so than I may already be.**

 

Ayame: Why do I have to fight you for it?

 

**Amane cocks his head at me looking confused. Seriously HE was the one looking confused.**

 

Amane: That’s what animals do right? One hunter catches and stores the food and if another animal wants it they fight for it or catch their own. If they act to slow they starve.

 

**Aaaahh right. I had almost forgotten Amane’s Ultimate Talent.**

 

**He was a Zoologist I knew, but why is he trying to act like an animal.**

 

Ayame: But we’re not animals. We’re people. We share our food in a civilized way.

 

Amane: Humans are just a breed of animal. Fight me or starve. It’s up to you.

 

**Now I was really growing angry. I know I should just find something else to eat, but my ego got the better of me.**

 

Ayame: Fine. I’ll fight you. Should I grab a knife or something?

 

Amane: Come, sit down.

 

**Now would definitely be the time I should get out of here, but I wanted that cereal. I sit across from Amane.**

 

**He rests his elbow on the table, his hand open.**

 

Ayame: Um...so is this a fist fight or….?

 

Amane: Grab my hand.

 

**I want that cereal.**

 

**I place my elbow on the table too and grab his hand.**

 

**I was ready to fight.**

 

**Amane then begins to push down my arm with surprising strength.**

 

**Taken off guard, I almost let my arm touch the table but resist just in time.**

 

**Despite being surprisingly strong, I still have a size advantage on Amane, and I have pretty good arm strength too from playing cello.**

 

**Soon, our arms are upright again. I push harder. Amane’s arm slowly begins to drop towards the table.**

 

**Almost...almost….I was getting tired now but I was so close to winning.**

 

**I could taste the cereal already, and I was hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry**

 

**That was the only word the echoed in my mind now.**

 

**I had truly turned animalistic.  With the last of my strength.**

 

**I slam Amane’s arm against the table.**

 

Ayame: [huff] T-there. I w-won.

 

**Amane looks at me with no emotion.**

 

Amane: So you did. The rules of the animal kingdom state that you now get the food.

 

**He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a room key.**

 

**He tosses it at me and I catch it. The inscription reads the number to his room.**

 

Ayame: Um… what’s this?

 

Amane: My rooms spare key.

 

Ayame: And why are you giving this to me?

 

Amane: Because you won the food, so you can go take the cereal from my room whenever you want.

 

**Thats…. I thought Amane may be a bit smarter than this.**

 

Ayame: If anyone, shouldn’t you be giving this to Rui, she’s your partner after all.

 

**Amane’s eyes strangely darken a bit.**

 

Amane: Why would I want to let the predator into my den?

 

Ayame: Huh? But Rui can’t kill you, it’s against the rules.

 

Amane: I mean, technically yeah. But she could still kill someone and frame me, or if she really hates me for some reason she can kill me and then get herself killed.

 

Ayame: You really think Rui would do that?

 

Amane: I’m not sure. But I think you won’t.

 

**That completely caught me off guard. I stand up abruptly, causing my chair to fall.**

 

Ayame: What the fuck? What makes you think I wouldn’t. You don’t know me! You can’t trust me!

 

**Despite my anger, Amane remains unfazed.**

 

Amane: No, I don’t know you, but I know how you think. Bases on your behaviours you think logically without letting emotion interfere. So I think you understand that attempting a murder would be a fatal mistake, as the odds of you being caught are pretty large.

 

**He was right, I’ll admit. The only reason I haven’t seriously considered planning a murder is because I knew that with 14 others investigating my chances were bad.**

 

Ayame: How do you know that? You’re almost worse than Dayu!

 

Amane: Mm, no, Dayu and I are quite different. Dayu has a keen instinct for picking up on personality traits and emotions. I study animals, who tend to have neither of those. I’m just good at observing behavioural patterns.

 

Ayame: I’ll be honest, I underestimated you. How the hell are you so damn smart?

 

**He shrugs.**

 

Amane: I’m an Ultimate after all. And you shouldn’t panic so much at my words. I have no interests in growing close to you, nor do I trust you. I just trust myself and my abilities to recognize your behaviour.

 

**With that, he returns to his cereal and ignores me.**

 

**I really did underestimate him. By his quiet demeanor I didn’t see him as a threat, but he’s smart and very analytical.**

 

**That could be dangerous later on.**

 

**I retreat from the dining hall and return to my room, Amane’s room key still clutched in my hand.**

 

**After locking my own door, I sit down and stare at the Amane’s key.**

 

**I didn’t want this.**

 

**Screw him and screw the cereal.**

 

**I was an idiot for letting my guard down.**

 

**I open the drawer with my spare key in it, chuck Amane’s in and slam it.**

 

**I lay back on my bed and cover my eyes with my arms.**

 

**I was still really hungry, but like hell was I going back to the dining hall when Amane was there.**

 

**I needed space from him.**

 

**I sit back up and look at the clock. It’s now 10:00am. I had woken up really early so now I was pretty tired.**

 

**Not taking off my uniform or shoes I crawl back under my sheets and fall into a bit of a restless sleep.**

 

**I don’t think I realized I was dreaming until I shot up in my bed to the sound of the monitors bells. An announcement was coming through the speakers.**

 

Monokuma: Hello my valued guests! It is now 12:00pm and you must leave your rooms immediately. Failure to do so will lead in prompt punishment.

 

**The monitor turns off. That’s right, I had forgotten about the this rule. Our rooms were going to be cleaned from 12-1, and I couldn’t be in here.**

 

**I crawl out of bed and exit my room, grateful I had left my shoes on. I decide to go to a room that would likely be empty, the Ball Room.**

 

**I hadn’t been there since the previous day when I had awoken in this Hotel.**

 

**A few other students exit their rooms, including Asa, who only glances at me before pushing by.**

 

**Ayuka and Roka also both exit their rooms, and share a brief greeting with me. Finally, Izo comes out of his room.**

 

**Just as he did, I felt a strong pang of hunger.**

 

**Right, I still hadn’t eaten. But I didn’t want to go to the dining hall, as I could guarantee many would gravitate towards there during cleaning hour.**

 

**In a split second decision, I grab Izo’s arm. I swear he lept 3 feet into the air.**

 

Ayame: Izo, can I ask a favor of you?

 

**He stares at me wordlessly, his eyes wide with fear.**

 

Ayame: Wow, I’m not going to kill you. I need you to grab me some food from the kitchen.

 

**Realizing I’m still gripping his arm, I let go. He takes a large step back from me.**

 

Izo: W-why ca-can’t you do it yours-self?

 

Ayame: Because I’m probably the last person anyone wants to see,

 

**To my surprise, Izo lets out a bitter laugh.**

 

Izo: A-actually I think-k it’s the o-opposite. D-despite your words p-people are starting to s-see you as a leader.

 

Ayame: Well they would be wrong. I could give less of a crap about them or their safety.

 

Izo: Y-yeah I could tell. But you’re pretty good w-with words y-you know. Y-you even won A-ayuka over.

 

Ayame: And what about you? What do you plan to do?

 

**Izo glances around.**

 

Izo: L-look let me g-grab you something to eat and m-meet you s-some where so we can talk.

 

**This most certainly wasn’t going as I had planned. But hey, I would get food and information so I’ll take it.**

 

Ayame: Meet me in the Ball Room, and make sure the food you get me is something packaged. I don’t trust any of you not to poison me.

 

**Nodding, Izo turns and hurries off. What the hell did he want to tell me?**

 

**I follow him out to the lobby and then we part ways. Surprisingly, no one was in the lobby yet.**

 

**They all must have decided on the pool or the dining hall, and in a way I understood why.**

 

**Although the lobby has comfortable seating, the locked and blackened doors were a shadow looming over all of us.**

 

**I turn and go into the Ball Room. As I had hoped no one is there. I descend the marble staircase and take a seat at one of the white clothed tables.**

 

**Now that I’m alone, I have time to ponder the dream I had. It wasn’t a nightmare or a sad dream, but it still puzzled me.**

 

**I dreamt that I was at Hope’s Peak, or what I perceived as Hope’s Peak. I didn’t know for certain since I hadn’t ever been inside.**

 

**I was in a classroom with Amane and Kae, and we were talking about final exams.**

 

**I didn’t show worry since I knew I could sight-read on my cello fine, and Amane also seemed confident in his animal knowledge.**

 

**Kae expressed worry that the examiners wouldn’t like the outfit she was going to make.**

**Overall, a normal dream.**

 

**But what unsettled me was how vivid it was. Hope’s Peak and the classroom all seemed so vivid, although I had never seen it.**

 

**All 3 of us wore what I assumed to be Hope’s Peak uniforms, though Kae and Amane had slight modifications to show their talents.**

 

**How was I remembering something I never saw in such detail?**

 

**Just then Izo enters the Ball Room. He stands awkwardly at the top the stairs.**

 

Ayame: I already said I’m not going to kill you, gimme my food.

 

**He descends the stairs and walks to the table I’m sitting at.**

 

**He sits across from me and places one of those  pre-packed lunch things infront of me, the seal still intact.**

 

**I tear it open hungrily and shove the crackers that were in it into my mouth.**

 

Izo: Erm, a-aren't you supposed to p-put the cheese on the c-cracker?

 

**He says, pointing to the orange fake-looking cheese in the lunch tray.**

 

Ayame: {mouth still full} Don’t tell me how to live my life. [Swallows] So what did you have to tell me?

 

**He looks nervously towards the ground. I didn’t notice until now he was shaking, making the whole table tremble a bit.**

 

Izo: It’s about Ayuka...u-um.. e-ever since you made your speech this morning s-she’s been acting… sporadic?

 

**Why the hell should I care?**

 

Ayame: How so?

 

Izo: All this morning she was going on and on about how she will do anything t-to protect m-me. T-then she m-made me stay in my room all this morning until now because I h-had to leave.

 

Ayame: And? It’s not as if you have to listen to her.

 

**Izo shifts in his chair, averting my gaze.**

 

Izo: I-I know but, in a way I-I do! A-ayuka’s been there for me ever s-since we were l-little and unlike everyone else I k-know I can trust her to do what’s b-best for me.

 

Ayame: Can you really?

 

Izo: H-huh? Yeah, I-I mean, I t-trust her to protect me, b-but I’m w-worried about how she will tae care of h-herself and….

 

**He trails off.**

 

Ayame: Look, I’ll admit you and Ayuka’s situation is a bit different than everyone else’s. How long have you known each other?

 

Izo: W-well we were both put into a special school for talent w-whe we were young, I think 4 or 5? I-it was a boarding school designed for b-bringing up Ultimates. A-although we both had started training for being s-soloist skaters, the people who ran the school noticed our resemblance to each-other and wanted us to do p-partner skating. I want to s-say we’ve been working together since w-we were 6.

 

**Wow, that long? Part of me envied that he had such a relationship with someone here.**

 

Ayame: Well, I understand that you’ve known each other a long time, but these are extraordinary circumstances. Can you still trust her under these conditions?

 

**Izo’s eyes darken greatly to my shock.**

 

Izo: T-to tell you the truth, this isn’t the f-first time me and Ayuka have b-been stuck in a less than ideal s-situation together.

 

Ayame: How do you mean?

 

Izo: W-well, that school I mentioned i-it wasn’t exactly a p-pleasant place. I don’t think I r-really realized until I was older but i-it probably wasn’t an official school either, more o-of an underground training facility f-for grooming Ultimates.

 

**I’ll be honest, this threw me through a loop.**

Ayame: Huh? I never knew such a thing existed?

 

Izo: W-well like I said, it was ran secretly and probably i-illegally. A-although I d-don’t know my p-parents I know I came from a p-poor family, so part of me suspects that they got a c-cut of the money I earned from my talent, since I never saw a-any of it. A-anyways, the methods they used to sh-shape us into Ultimates were…..extreme.

 

Ayame: Extreme how?

 

**I decide to push a little further. I can see he is trembling even more now.**

 

Izo: A-ah…. Well…. I don’t r-really like talking about i-it, s-sorry. T-though compared to what I endured t-there, th-this situation really isn’t too bad.

 

**He laughed bitterly.**

 

Izo: A-anyways my p-point is that since Ayuka and I endured that t-together, I know I-I can trust her h-here. A-at least I k-know she won’t harm me. W-what I’m worried about is…

 

Ayame: Her harming someone else?

 

Izo: Y-yeah. I l-like to think that she wouldn’t kill anyone, b-but like I said, after this morning she’s been acting off so I-I  really don’t know what to think.

 

**I decide to be straight forwards with Izo.**

 

Ayame: Look, you may aswell just tell Ayuka to buzz off. Tell her that you don’t need protecting, and that she’s being annoying to you.

 

Izo: B-but I can’t do that!

 

Ayame: Is that how you feel though?

 

**His shoulders sag and he looks towards the floor.**

 

Izo: I’m not annoyed with her, I’m j-ust really worried.

 

Ayame: If you’re worried about her you need to go to the extremes to get her off your tail, you know?

 

Izo: Y-You’RE SAYING I S-SHOULD KILL HER?

 

**He jumped to the conclusion, not me… wasn’t expecting that.**

 

Ayame: No, that’s not what I’m saying at all, the hell?

 

**I see guilt shine in his eyes.**

 

Ayame: I’m saying you should just be mean to her so she’ll cling less to you.

 

Izo: But it’s not that easy! And s-she’s the only friend I’ve every h-ad and and-

 

Ayame: If you really want to stop her from killing for you, you gotta be cold towards her! Just think that you’re doing it BECAUSE you’re her friend. You  seem to understand that if she kills someone for you, she will very likely die right?

 

**Slowly, he nods. I notice he is still shaking, though less so now. Perhaps I’ve finally helped him reach a resolve?**

 

Izo: So you’re saying to be mean to her… so she won’t want to protect me?

 

Ayame: [shrugging] Yeah, that’s the short of it I suppose.

 

Izo: I-I really don’t know...I d-don’t want to r-ruin our b-bond!

 

**He’s way overthinking this.  Why are the other students finding it so difficult to cast emotions aside in favour of survival?**

 

Ayame: Do you want her to be your buddy, or do you want her to be alive?

 

Izo: ….

 

**He’s stopped shaking now. His eyes are just wide and clouded over. I can tell he was really thinking through this.**

 

**Suddenly, a thought popped in my head.**

 

**Why the hell was I even giving Izo advice?**

 

**I just wanted food, and he really hasn’t given me any valuable information other than the fact Ayuka is being obsessive.**

 

Ayame: Look, I really don’t give a fuck what you do, I’m just telling you what I would do. You can deal with Ayuka however the hell you want.

 

**Just as I said that, the growingly familiar bells rings from above our heads. Monokuma’s shrill voice comes on through the intercom.**

 

Monokuma: It is now 1pm, and you may return to your rooms if you wish.

 

**I was grateful Monokuma’s message was brief this time.**

 

**Letting all feelings of concern I had for Izo and Ayuko freeze over, I grab the remains of the packaged lunch and get up to leave.**

 

**I make it up the stairs and to the doors when I hear Izo call out to me.**

 

Izo: W-will being cruel to Ayuka really protect her?

 

**I wish Izo would stop talking to me. Not really caring anymore, I give him a half-assed response.**

 

Ayame: Yeah, sure.

 

**Knowing I didn’t sound very convincing, but not caring, I leave the Ball Room and enter into the lobby.**

 

**There were some students there, but right now I was strangely drowsy and didn’t really comprehend who was there.**

 

**My head was also killing me again and….**

 

**Wait.**

 

**Drowsy… yes I was very, very drowsy.**

 

**This wasn’t normal.**

 

**Panic courses through my body and my vision starts to blur. What the hell? Had I been poisoned?**

 

**I was certain that the lunch I was eating had been sealed.**

 

**Shit. Shit. Shit.**

 

**My legs become too weak to support me, and I crumple to the carpeted floor.**

 

**The panicked voices of other students, presumably those who had been in the lobby a few seconds earlier, echoed around me.**

 

**My ears ring, and I feel hands groping my shoulder.**

 

**Touching me, another student was touching me.**

 

**Too close, too close. Killed, I was going to be killed.**

 

**I try to shake the hands off but I find my body feels paralyzed.**

 

**Strangely though, the other students hand fell off me on their own.**

 

**Everything had gone dark at this point, and all I can think is that I’m dead.**

 

**I was being punished for getting to close to others and talking to them.**

 

**Why had I talked to Kae?**

 

**Why had I fought Amane?**

 

**Why had I helped Izo?**

 

**My mind racing through all the moments I messed up today,  I fully lose consciousness.**

 

**…..**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Policy of Isolationism, Never Leads to War (Daily Life; Part 2)

**When I finally come to, I’m surprised. I was certain that I must have died. But here I was, slowly regaining consciousness.**

 

**The first feeling I experience is annoyance at the fact this was the second time in less than two days I had been knocked out against my will.**

 

**Different from last time, I’m not resting on a table, I’m laying on a carpeted floor.**

 

**I squint open my eyes.**

 

**The bright light from the ceiling causes a pain to shoot through my head.**

 

**I shut my eyes again, and sit up slowly with a wince.**

 

**My mind still feels foggy, and I’m having trouble gathering my thoughts.**

 

**I try and open my eyes again.**

 

**This time, since I’m now sitting up, I’m not staring at a bright light so I can actually see.**

 

**I scan the room I’m sitting in.**

 

**I know I recognize it, but my mind isn’t catching up.**

 

**Finally, the fog clears a bit and I realize I’m in the Lobby, where I had passed out.**

 

**But something was strange, though I couldn’t put my finger on what due to my confusion.**

 

**Think...think!**

 

**Then, it hits me like a bucket of cold water being dumped on my head, snapping me out of my fuzziness.**

 

**There were five other students, Roka, Dayu, Asa, June, and Haise, also splayed out on the floor, knocked out.**

 

**Instinctively, I reel back in shock.**

 

**All I can think is that something happened and I was the lone survivor.**

 

**I thought if it came to this I would be more happy to leave, but my stomach dropped at the thought of being the only one alive.**

**However, in a matter of seconds I notice Roka, Asa, and June beginning to stir.**

 

**They all sit up slowly, looking around in a dazed confusion and murmuring incoherently  to themselves.  Finally, all three of their eyes land on me.**

 

Asa: [slurred]: Wha happen?

 

**She squeezes her eyes shut, and places a hand on her head, and then shakes it as if trying to clear it.**

 

**She looks up, again, her eyes sharper.**

 

Asa: W-what happened?

 

**Roka and June are still silent and clearly disoriented, while Haise and Dayu are still passed out.**

 

**Asa crawls over to Haise, then to Dayu, checking both of their pulses I think.**

 

**I see noticeable relief on her face, meaning, I assume, they were both alive.**

 

**June is the next one to speak, her speech still slurred as Asa’s was.**

 

June: I-I remember uh...faintin....

 

Roka: Yeahummeuhtouh…..

 

**I can’t understand whatever he was trying to stay. My head feeling better, I try to speak out too.**

 

Ayame: Wha….what the fuck happened.

 

**I realize that my first assumption, being that Izo poisoned me somehow, must be incorrect as it seems everyone else got affected too.**

 

**Then what the hell happened?**

 

**I hear a door open, and turn to see five other students stumble out of the dining hall: Juro, Rui, Amane, Ayuka, and Akinari. They all look just as dazed as the rest of us.**

 

**Izo, shortly after, comes staggering out of the Ball Room door.**

 

**Next, Aisa comes from the Suite hallway, in a bathing suit, followed by Kae, Nori, and Udo, who is still smiling...somehow, but tripping over his own feet.**

 

Udo: Hahah, bro, I feel high az a kite right now.

 

**Everyone who walked into the Lobby quickly sat down again, whether it be on one of the couches and seats, or joining me on the ground.**

 

**We were all very clearly out of it.**

 

**Dayu finally awakens and sits up, looking at everyone with wide eyes.**

 

Dayu: Where am I? Who are ya guys? Where’s Hopez Peaak..?

 

**Just like everyone else, his speech was slurred and confused.**

 

**What the ever living fuck had happened to us?**

 

???: Puhuhuhuhuh, morning sleepy heads!

 

**Anxiety had begun to grip me every time I hear that damn voice, but I shake it off and remain cool.**

 

**Monokuma waddles in, cackling.**

 

Ayame: What the hell did you do to us?

 

**I say this in the most demanding voice I can manage, though I know it still sounds weak and dry.**

 

**Dry….yes. I realize now my throat feels parched. How long had we all been out?**

 

Monokuma: I was just testing out our motive! And it seems it was a success! 

 

**Motive? Monokuma pulls himself onto the front desk and turns to address all of us.**

 

Monokuma: If you all may, can you please feel the back of your neck!

 

**The tone of his voice made it sound like he was on one of those talk shows where you look under your seats and win a car or something.**

 

**Though I suspect our prize wouldn’t be something as delightful.**

 

**Around me, everyone reaches towards the back of their heads, and I decide to do the same.**

 

**I don’t even feel it at first, as I rub my neck. Then, around the fourth time swiping my hand over my neck, I feel a small bump.**

 

**My first instinct is to think it’s a pimple, but this felt different, it felt much too hard.**

 

**I look around and see a similar look of confusion on the others face.**

 

Monokuma: Did you all find the treasure! Congratulations! You now own your very own micro-injector!

 

**Everyone is silent, trying to understand what that means through our foggy minds. Finally, June seems to understand something.**

 

June: Micro-injectors, designed for people with diabetes or other kind of illnesses that require injections often. They are implanted under the skin and work on a timer so you automatically receive a vaccination.

 

**June seems to slump back after saying this, clearly using a lot of effort just getting out this explanation.**

 

Monokuma: Exactamundo Encyclopedia! Before you woke up in this hotel, each of you got one of these devices implanted! Though your little guys work a little differently than the ones used in the medical field, puhuhu.

 

**I didn’t think my stomach could drop further, but then it did.**

 

Monokuma: What you just experienced was the injection of a sedative through your micro-injectior! Yours works on both a timer, and remotely, meaning I, your lovely manager, can administer a drug to all of you whenever I see fit. 

 

**The room is dead silent as the reality of this situation sunk in.**

 

Monokuma: And...another difference! Don’t even think about trying to remove your micro-injector, as they are rigged to explode if you try…..BOOOOM

 

**We all flinch at his loud shout. For one of the first times since I arrived here, I begin trembling.**

 

**All the other threats Monokuma had posed with the Killing Game I had some control over.**

**I didn’t have to kill, I didn’t have to work with others.**

 

**But now I was at the absolute mercy of the Mastermind.**

 

Monokuma: Geeze, you’re all quiet aren't you. By the way, can ya’ wake up your friend Luckster? She’s gonna miss the most important part.

 

**Luckster…..Haise. He meant Haise. I turn towards where she had been laying on the floow when I first woke up, and see she still hasn’t awaken.**

 

**I crawl closer to her to attempt to shake her awake.**

 

**I notice that she has a slight gleam on her skin. She was covered in sweat. I also realize that her breathing seems shallow. Shit.**

 

**I lay a hand on her to try and shake her awake and see she feels burning hot.**

 

**I just stare at the Lucky Student, my eyes wide.**

  
  


Asa: [still a bit slurred] Ayame? Waz wrong with her? 

 

**Asa comes over and also see’s the state of Haise.**

 

Asa: June! Come here.

 

**June looks at us, her eyes still foggy.**

 

June: Hmmm? Whats wrong?

 

**She pulls comes over. I realize that Asa must have called June since being the Ultimate Memorizer, June may know what Haise’s symptoms entailed.**

 

**June looks Haise over and also feels her skin. The next time she speaks she sounds more in her right mind.**

 

June: She’s having a bad reaction to whatever Monokuma gave us through the injector.

 

Monokuma: Whoopze, my bad.

 

**Asa, simmering with anger, tries to get up and approach the robotic bear, but stumbles over herself and falls.**

 

Monokuma: Puhuhuhu, sorry, I didn’t realize the sedative would have such long lasting effects. Anyways, I’ll just move on to the motive without Luckster. Fill her in if she wakes up.

 

**If.**

 

**I don’t know why, but I feel sadness well in my chest for Haise. I couldn’t imagine how it would feel to be knocked out unexpectedly, scared and confused, and to never wake up.**

 

**No chance for last thoughts, no goodbyes.**

 

**I didn’t think I could get anymore angry at our captor than I already was, but I feel the fire building in my chest grow even more.**

 

Monokuma: For the motive! As mentioned before, your injectors also work on a timer! In around 24 hours, at nighttime tomorrow,  I have set  _ one _ of your injectors to administer a lethal dose of the sedative. If someone is not murdered by then, one of you will die by random! This will keep happening every 24 hours until a murder takes place! 

 

**I keep thinking this situation can’t possibly become more fucked up, and then it does. So whether or not I keep to myself, whether or not I refuse to kill, I still have a large chance of dying.**

 

**This news seems to be a wake-up for most of us, and people begin to yell.**

 

Kae: This is completely u-unfair! This is a violation of my body!

 

Rui: [sobbing]: Get this thing out of me! Get it out get it out get it out

 

Juro: How did you get this thing in be without me knowing! How?!

 

Ayuka: [rocking back and forth]: This is beyond fucked up this is beyond fucked up this is beyond fucked up…

 

Monokuma: All you brats shut up before I knock ya out again!!

 

**The bear growls menacingly at us, unsheathing a set of shiny claws from his paw.**

 

Monokuma: It’s simple! If you don’t want to die than kill! That’s been the circumstances this whole time, I just made the threat more tangible.

 

**He cackles again.**

 

Monokuma: Oh, and by the way, it’s almost night-time so you better get Luckster to her room before she’s violating the rules by not sleepin in the suites. And no, letting her die won’t count as the murder to save your own skin, selfish brats. Good luck with that!

 

**With that final threat, the mechanical bear disappears behind the desk.**

 

**We all sit in silence. I notice that even Udo has for once stopped smiling and looks slightly troubled.**

 

**Asa gently lifts Haise by the shoulders and attempts to shake her awake.**

 

**She only murmurs something we can’t understand, her eyes still shut.**

 

**Asa turns to Udo.**

 

Asa: Did Haise give you her spare room key?

 

Udo: Negative. I tried to give her mine and she wouldn’t take it, and she refused to give me hers.

 

June: Move.

 

**June pushes Asa away from Haise, and begins to pat down the Lucky Student.**

 

**After a few moments, June sits back, her face contorted in concern.**

 

June: I can’t seem to find a room key on her.

 

Ayuka: Well where else would she keep it if not on her?

 

June: Exactly, I don’t know.

 

**Again, the room falls silent. Were we going to have to leave Haise here to die?**

 

June: Oh, right! The rules say we can sleep in each others dorms. So someone just has to consent to Haise staying in their rooms.

 

**Well I for sure wouldn’t volunteer. One; if she dies then the blame would automatically fall on me and Two; She could wake up and decide to kill me in the night.**

 

Asa: She can stay with me.

 

Udo: How do we know your not planning on killing her, Cheetah?

 

**Asa turns towards Udo, clearly livid.**

 

Asa: Shut up! Just shut up. After everything I’ve said, do you really think I would kill Haise?

 

Ayame: Forget morality, if you killed her it would be way too obvious anyways.

 

**Asa now turns towards me, her eyes sparking.**

 

Asa: You shut up too! I would never ever kill her!

 

June: Asa, you be quiet too, okay? Why doesn’t she stay with Udo?

 

Udo: What? WhyyY?

 

June: Because she’s your partner, and I suspect you have enough of a sense of self-preservation that you wouldn’t kill her and get yourself killed.

 

Udo: [shrugs] Fair enough. Sure, she can stay with me.

 

**Udo still seems more calm than his usual self.  I wonder if it’s the sedative or if he’s finally feeling the weight of our situation.**

 

June: Alright, ummm, Juro and Ayame, can you get Haise to Udo’s Suite?

 

**I’m confused and annoyed as to why she asked me to help. Normally I would probably say something snarky, but right now I felt just too tired to object.**

 

**So, Juro and I hoist Haise up to carry her to Udo’s, who joins us, Suite. I’m carrying her by her arms, so I can see her face.**

 

**It’s still coated in a layer of sweat, and I can feel heat coming off her body in waves. What did Monokuma put in our bodies, and what was it doing to Haise?**

 

**We slowly stumble our way towards Udo’s room, still weak.**

 

**Finally, after what felt like miles, Udo shows us his room and unlocks it.**

 

**Never thinking I would enter another student's suite after pledging to keep to myself, I was curious as to what it would look like.**

 

**As I walk in, I’m underwhelmed to see the room is identical to mine.**

 

**Udo instructs us to just put Haise on the floor.**

 

**I’m willing to do it, but Juro refuses. So we, end up putting her on Udo’s bed, and setting up a blanket and pillow for him on the floor.**

 

Udo: [whining] I cannot believe after I extend my hospitality, I’m still getting the short end of the stick.

 

Juro: You’re getting the short end of the stick? Haise’s OD’d on some unknown drug and your complaining about having to sleep on the floor?

 

Udo: Wellll if it weren’t for me she would get killed by Monokuma the minute nighttime hits!

 

Juro: If June hadn’t said anything you wouldn’t have even offered! Besides, Asa wouldn’t let us just leave her, she would’ve taken Haise in.

 

Udo: [mocking] Ooh, yeah, she would take her in alright. Then smother her with a pillow!

 

**It seems Udo’s already bounced back to his normal, smug self. As he and Juro bicker, I check over Haise.**

 

**Her breathing is still shallow and quick, and her skin is still hot and damp to touch. I attempt to shake her awake as Asa did.**

 

Ayame: Hey. Can you hear me?

 

Haise: MMMmmmhuh…?

 

**She again just mutters something unintelligent, still not opening her eyes. Not wanting to bother her too much, I retreat for now.**

 

**Udo orders Juro out of his room, meaning he must leave with me or be breaking the rules.**

 

**Juro and I exit, leaving Udo and Haise in the Suite.**

 

Juro:[concerned] Do you think Haise will really be safe with Udo? I don’t trust the weird kid one bit.

 

Ayame: I’m more worried about her dying from the drug than Udo. He obviously is trying to be obnoxious for attention. 

 

Juro: Yeah….I guess.

 

**Just then, I hear the bells and announcement signaling night-time. I part ways with Juro and return to my own room.**

 

**My thoughts are racing.**

 

**We had until night-time tomorrow for someone to murder, or else a student will drop dead every 24 hours.**

 

**It would only be a matter of time until I was killed by the injector if the others refuse to kill.**

 

**For the first time, I seriously consider setting up a** murder.

 

**I have Amane’s room key still, and I know Amane has Udo’s key. Meaning, if I could break into Amane’s room and receive Udo’s key, I could kill Haise and frame Udo for it.**

 

**But would Udo killing Haise be too obvious to be taken as true? Besides, he was Haise’s partner so that wouldn’t even fucking work. I curse myself for being stupid and try to think of another plan.**

**I could frame Amane, but he would probably quickly figure me out since he’s the one who gave me his key.**

 

**I shut off the lights, take off my shoes, and crawl under my bed covers.**

 

**I felt extremely frustrated that I couldn’t think of a murder that wouldn’t lead to me getting caught, and I guess deep down I felt guilty for thinking about it.**

 

**Still drowsy from whatever the hell kind of drug was making its way through my body, I quickly fall asleep.**

  
  
  


**_???:_ ** _ Ayame, are you okay? _

 

**_I snap to attention after being zoned out. I see Haise sitting next to me. We were both seated in front of a fountain, looking at the Hope’s Peak building._ **

 

_ Ayame: Yeah, I’m fine, just thinking is all. _

 

_ Haise: Are you nervous to be finishing your first year? _

 

_ Ayame: Not nervous no, it just seems like it went by so fast. _

 

**_Haise nods in agreement to me._ **

 

_ Haise: It’s funny though, even after a full year with you guys I still feel like I don’t belong here. _

 

_ Ayame: You do well in your studies though. _

 

_ Haise: [sighing] Yeah I know, but I want more than just doing WELL. All my classmates are so talented. _

 

**_I laugh some what bitterly._ **

 

_ Ayame: Being talented isn’t all it’s chalked up to be. _

 

_ Haise: [sarcastic] Easy for you to say Miss. Ultimate Cellist. _

 

**_I sigh, and turn to look Haise in the eyes._ **

 

_ Ayame: Look, Haise, sure I may have an Ultimate talent, but that doesn’t guarantee my happiness at all. I didn’t work for my talent, the unfair world just birthed me with this naturally. _

 

_ Haise: Ha, thanks for the reminder of how the universe seems to have it out for me. _

 

_ Ayame: No, that’s not the point. What I’m saying is you shouldn’t get caught up on something as stupid as talent when it’s something you literally have or don’t have at birth. Instead, work hard towards what you want to do. Employers will still be head over heels for you just because you attended Hope’s Peak, they won’t care about talent. _

 

_ Haise: That just makes me feel like I’ll be given something I don’t deserve. _

 

_ Ayame: Well, I don’t really believe in fate or any of that crap, but you must have been picked to attend this school for one reason or another. _

 

_ Haise: Yeah, because I’m ridiculously lucky. That’s still not a talent. _

 

_ Ayame: You’ve spent the whole year trying to pick up a talent, and you’ve been alright at everyone you’ve tried. I think people will want you to work for them simply because of your adaptivity.  _

 

**_Haise slouches over, resting her chin in her hand with a pout._ **

 

_ Haise: Who cares how fast I can learn if I’ll never be better than sub-par. _

 

_ Ayame: Haise, seriously, you’ve got another few years before we even graduate, stop stressing so much. Hope’s Peak administration has been curious about you right? Didn’t they say they wanted to study your luck in adaptivity? _

 

_ Haise: Yeah, they did. _

 

_ Ayame: Well if they saw your potential then don’t doubt it. _

 

**_I couldn’t help but get annoyed at the pity party Haise was throwing for herself. She always acted like she didn’t belong here, but the higher ups at Hope’s Peak have been drooling over her and her Luck lately._ **

 

_ Haise: I guess. Thanks for talking with me, Ayame. _

 

_ Ayame: Sure. _

 

**I don’t exactly bolt upright as people normally do from dreams that freak them out. I sorta just, sit up.**

 

**I realize that I’m sweating up a storm. I’m guessing this must be due to my body attempting to expel the rest of this stupid drug from my system.**

 

**Again, I am unnerved by the realism of this dream I had.**

 

**Just like last time, I was able to see in vivid detail Hope’s Peak, Haise, our uniforms, it felt like I was really there.**

 

**Just then the monitor rings and the morning announcement plays.**

 

Monokuma: Rise and shine brats! It is now 7am, and night-time has officially ended! Let’s face the new day with our heads held high and murder in your hearts! Remember, it’s one of you critters last days alive, so better enjoy it! Puhuhuhu.

 

**I was dreadfully reminded of our time limit.**

 

**Again, I consider attempting to murder Haise, but the risks just weigh too much. Could I kill Udo then frame Haise? Again, Amane, knowing how I could’ve gotten Udo’s room key would sell me out quickly.**

 

**I sigh, rolling out of bed.**

 

**I decide to just keep on the uniform I had fallen asleep in last night. I pull on my shoes, grab my room key and exit my room.**

 

**No one else is in the Suite hallway. My feet carry me themselves and before I know it I’m standing in front of Udo’s room.**

 

**I don’t know why I brought myself here, considering I had given up on the murder plan, or anything like that.**

 

**Before I know it, I’m knocking on the door.**

 

**After I’ve already done it, I curse myself.**

 

**I don’t give a fuck about Haise, or Udo.**

 

**But I guess I was having one of those moments where you wake up, and you still have lingering emotions from your dreams.**

 

**After a few seconds, the door swings open.**

 

**Udo is standing there in a pair of sweats, similar to the ones I had found in my closet though he had sweatpants instead of yoga pants.**

 

Udo: Ahhh, hello Ayame! How are you feeling this morning knowing it could be your last day alive!

 

Ayame: Cut the crap. I wanted to see how Haise was doing.

 

**He raises an eyebrow.**

 

Udo: But I thought you didn’t care about the rest of us UmU

 

Ayame: Did you just say U m and U out loud?

 

Udo: It’s no matter! Come on in if you want! Though this is clearly going against your own ideology-

 

**Without responding I push past Udo. I only cared about Haise because her recovery would provide valuable information about the strength and lethality of the sedative.**

 

**Haise is still on Udo’s bed, passed out. I walk up to her.**

 

**Her face is still shiny with sweat, but it seems less flushed. I lay a hand on her cheek, and it feels cool.**

 

**My touch seems to have stirred her, as her eyes flicker open.**

 

**She looks at me confused.**

 

Haise: Whooo are you?

 

**She was disoriented, just as everyone else was when they first awoke. At least, I assume this is the first time she awoke.**

 

Ayame: It’s Ayame, the Ultimate Cellist. Can you tell me who you are?

 

**My Mom had taught me how to talk to people in shock when I was younger. You should always take it slow.**

 

Haise: Ermmmm who I am ahhhh…

 

**She pauses, clearly thinking hard.**

 

Haise: I’m uuuh, Komori H-H…. something, and I’m the Ultimate aaah um…

 

Ayame: Take your time.

 

**She slowly sits up, her eyes still squinted in concentration.**

 

Haise: I’m Komori H-H- Hasami? Ah no… Hashiro? That’s not right no…

 

**She squeezes her eyes shut. Suddenly, they snap open again.**

 

Haise: Ah! Haise! That’s the one! Komori Haise, Ultimate Lucky Student!   
  


**She looks me over.**

 

Haise: Oh um… but you probably knew that already huh Ayame?

 

Ayame: Mhm, is it coming back to you now?

 

Haise: [nodding] Yeah… what in the world happened?

 

**I fill her in on the micro-injector, the time limit, and how we had brought her to Udo’s room. She turns even paler than she already had been.**

 

Haise: U-Udo’s room?!

 

Udo: Yup yup! We had an amazing sleepover!! I’m super sad you don’t remember!   
  


**Haise and I both jump at the sound of Udo’s voice. He had managed to get from where he had been standing at the door to next to us without me or her noticing.**

 

**Haise, clearly embarrassed, tries to leave Udo’s bed, but stumbles and falls.**

 

**I help her back up, knowing how weak and clumsy the sedative made you.**

 

Ayame: Here, take it easy.

 

**I lead her out of Udo’s, who stays behind, room and into the lobby where I can sit her down.**

 

Haise: Why couldn’t you bring me to my own room?

 

**I was a bit annoyed by the tone of her voice. We saved her life yet she was making a fuss over which room we brought her to?**

 

**It took all my strength not to snap at Haise for being ungrateful, knowing the effects of the sedative made me hold back.**

 

Ayame: We couldn’t find your key on you so we had no way to get into your room.

 

**Her face screws up.**

 

Haise: But still, it had to be  _ Udo’s _ room?

 

Ayame: June figured that it would be best since he would be the least likely to, you know, murder you while you were passed out?

 

**Haise’s face reddens a little.**

 

Haise: Ah, right. Sorry.

 

**Suddenly, her face drops.**

 

Haise: Wait, you couldn’t find my key on me?

 

**Haise pats herself down in a panicked fashion.**

 

Haise: I thought for sure I had it on me when I passed out?

 

**She buries her head in her hands.**

 

Haise: Shit…

 

Ayame: Could you have left it in your room on accident?

 

Haise: No, I’m positive I brought it with me. And I know I had it when I passed out because I hurt myself by landing on it. Actually, that’s the last thing I remember.

 

**Well this wasn’t good. Not good at all.**

 

Ayame: So your saying you think someone took it?

 

Haise: I-I don’t know, maybe?

 

Ayame: Well,  here, everyone isn’t meeting in the dining hall until 8:00, so we got about half an hour. Let’s look around for it before jumping to worst case scenario.

 

Haise: I….thought that would be the first conclusion you jump to though. Worst case I mean.

 

**I feel my face grow hot.**

 

Ayame: I’m not an absolute pessimist you know. I just have an instinct for self-preservation.

 

Haise:[uncertain] Alright, if you say so. 

 

**Her eyes cloud over. Clearly something has crossed her mind.**

 

Haise: So...you said tonight someone will be killed at random if a murder doesn’t take place?

 

Ayame: Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden? And yeah, that’s what Monokuma said.

 

Haise: It’s nothing, I’m just thinking about it is all. So this could be my last day alive, huh.

 

Ayame: It could, sure.

 

**Just then, Kae enters the lobby coming from the Suite Hallway. She looks extremely...bad.**

 

**Her hair, although in its classic style, looked messy. She has dark circles under her eyes, and her skin is extremely pale.**

 

**She doesn’t even acknowledge us until Haise speaks out.**

 

Haise: Kae, hey!

 

**Kae’s head snaps up, and she just stares at Haise for a few moments, as if she was having trouble processing who she was looking at. Finally, she speaks, clearly forcing a cheerful tone.**

 

Kae: Oh, hey Haise! Good to see you up.

 

**Either Haise chooses to ignore Kae’s obvious disarray, or she is oblivious to it.**

 

Haise: Yeah, I was really tripped up yesterday, huh.

 

**Kae just nods. Then she turns to me and suddenly grabs my arm.**

 

Ayame: Ack! What the hell, Kae?

 

Kae: C-can I… I n-need to um talk to you.

 

**Kae stares at me with wide and somewhat crazy looking eyes. I turn to Haise.**

 

Ayame: Why don’t you go search for the key yourself.

 

**She raises and eyebrow, but silently nods. She pushes herself up with a bit of effort since she’s still weak and staggers from the lobby.**

 

**Kae still has a tight grip on my arm, her nails digging into me.**

 

Ayame: Kae, seriously. What is your problem?

 

Kae: Someone is planning to murder me.

 

**She says it so suddenly and so seriously that I just stand in shock for a few moment. Then I let out a laugh, purely due to discomfort.**

 

Kae: Ayame _ please _ it’s not funny.

 

**Her voice cracks. And I notice tears welling in her already bloodshot eyes. I didn’t think it** **_was_ ** **funny, I just had no fucking clue what to say to Kae.**

 

**I’m not a fucking psychiatrist  for heaven's sake.**

 

**Maybe a little too harshly, I yank my arm from Kae’s grasp.**

 

**This simple movement causes her to stumble and almost fall backwards.**

 

**She almost seemed as weak as Haise, despite not being in nearly as bad of a condition. Or maybe she was?**

 

Ayame: Look, I don’t know what to tell you. What do you want me to hold a peace meeting or some shit? If you think someone is targeting you than fucking be prepared to defend yourself.

 

**The tears had began to fall down her face.**

 

Kae: b-but I don’t know what t-to do and y-you’re the only one I c-can trust and-

 

Ayame: [shouting] No, Kae! You can’t trust me! Deal with your own fucking problems.

 

**Anxiety swarmed me as the harsh words fell from my mouth. My heart was threatening to break for Kae, as she was clearly distressed.**

 

**But as I told myself before, I can’t afford to be friendly.**

 

**I turn on my heel and coolly walk away from Kae and into the dining hall.**

 

**I know I’m still early for the meeting but I just had to get away from the desperate Seamstress.**

 

**A few people, Roka, Dayu, Asa, Amane,  and Akinari have already gathered, and the turn towards me as I enter the dining hall.**

  
  


Roka: Ayame, there you are. Have you heard anything about Haise?

 

**My heart and head still pounding with anxiety, I snap at him.**

 

Ayame: [raised voice] How the hell should I know! I’m not her damn care giver. Stop acting like I’m your leader for some goddamn reason.

 

**I storm over to an empty table, sit down, and bury my head in my arms.**

 

**Why couldn’t everyone leave me alone.**

 

**Any conversation that had been going on when I arrived simmered down to a soft murmur.**

 

**Taking a deep breath I lift my head.**

 

Ayame: Haise is up and walking around. She’s fine.

 

**Even though they don’t say anything, I see notable relief on all of their faces.**

 

**Again, the conversation remains hushed, and I just sit in silence.**

 

**As time passes, a few more people enter the dining hall.**

 

**June shows up, followed by Udo.  Aisa and Asa come in, clearly having been morning swimming again. That means…**

 

Ayame: Is it 8:00 already?

 

June: Yes, I believe it just turned.

 

**There was a remarkable amount of missing students compared to yesterday's meeting arranged by Asa.**

 

**Rui emerges from the kitchen, carrying only a few platters of pancakes.**

 

Rui: I wish Juro were here to help me this morning, but he never showed up.

 

June: It seems many of our classmates bailed on our Morning meeting.

 

Udo: Can you blame ‘em? The tensions are higher now than ever. 

 

**Asa glares at me.**

 

Asa: Is this what you wanted Ayame? 

 

Ayame: I literally said I didn’t care what happened. But what, do you think I want to be picked off tonight? This is obviously a less than ideal situation.

 

**Just then, Haise enters the dining hall. She comes over to me and pulls me aside. It takes all my willpower not to yell at her.  She speaks to me in a hushed voice**

 

Haise: I couldn’t find my room key anywhere. I think someone definitely took it.

 

Ayame: Well, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s not like you can get into your room now anyways, so you won’t be murdered in there.

 

Haise: Yes I’m aware… this is actually quite a low-risk situation for me honestly. I just don’t know why someone would take my key.

 

Ayame: Welp, I can’t help you.

 

**With that I pull away from Haise and sit back down alone at a table. We all sit in silence for a few minutes longer.**

 

Roka: So… the others really aren’t showing up huh.

 

Dayu: That seems to be the case.

 

Aisa: Do you think everyone is okay?   
  


June: Well, I’m certain if someone was dead by now Monokuma would be more than eager to tell us, so I assume everyone is alive.

 

Aisa: Well then… why a’int they here?

 

June: Because they don’t trust anyone with this new motive.

 

Aisa: Oh…..

 

Dayu: So whose missing anyways? I honestly only know like, half of you by name at this point.

 

Udo: I’m hurt.

 

June: Well Dayu,Roka, Udo, Aisa, Rui, Akinari, Asa, Ayame, Haise, Amane, and myself are all here, so that’s 11 of us. The missing five are Izo, Kae, Juro, Ayuka, and Nori.

 

Udo: Aha! So they’re the most suspicious.

 

Asa: Suspicious of what, nothings happened yet?

 

Udo: Not that yyooou know of, Cheetah. But I can see the future!   
  


June: Not this crap again. Udo, shut it.

 

Udo: Mhm, and why should I?

 

**June turns to him.**

 

June: Excuse me?

 

Udo: I said, why should I shut it? Waddya gonna do about it?   
  


June: I believe I said earlier I would strangle you with your own scarf yes? That offer still stands.

 

Udo: Ooooh, so you’re saying you’d murder me?

 

**The room falls silent.**

 

Udo: You have it in your heart to kill? I think that makes you suspicious of well.

 

**Despite Udo’s dark turn in tone, June remains calm.**

 

June: Let’s not be stupid, okay? It’s a hyperbole.

 

Udo: Mmmmmm if you say so.

 

**Asa abruptly stands up, ending the exchange.**

 

Asa: Enough of this already!

 

Udo: Oh? Enough of what?

 

Asa: Enough of this throw away talk about murder as if our lives are a game or some shit. This isn’t a game!

 

Udo: What? Are you gonna propose we all work together again? Sorry Cheetah, Ayame already shut you down.

 

**I wish he would leave me the hell out of this conversation.**

 

Asa: What else should we do then?! If we don’t act now then someone will be dead by tonight.

 

June: And what does acting now mean exactly?

 

**Asa takes a long and deep breath in.**

 

Asa: I’m going to kill myself.

 

**My stomach drops. Out of every way I had expected this conversation to go, this wasn’t one of them.**

 

Haise: Asa, what are you saying?

 

Roka: Yeah, let’s n-not be so hasty.

 

Asa: We don’t have time NOT to be hasty!

 

**June still manages to remain cool somehow.**

 

June: And what will that accomplish exactly? Even if you break the deadline for tonight there will just be a new one in another 24 hours.

 

Asa: W-we don’t know that! Monokuma only said it would happen every 24 hours until a murder takes place. He never said those deadlines would continue afterwards.

 

June: That’s putting too much faith into word choice.

 

**Just then, Amane speaks up.**

 

Amane: I think Asa is correct.

 

**Did Amane want Asa dead that badly?**

 

Amane: I don’t think Monokuma would use the same motive after every murder.

 

June: How do you figure?   
  
Amane: As sick as it is, he, or whomever is controlling him seems to be getting some morbid entertainment out of this Killing Game. Do you think they would use the same tired motive every time?

 

June: Again, you could be right. But that's too much blind faith for Asa to sacrifice her life based on.

 

Amane: It’s not just blind faith. My talent is analyzing the behavioral patterns of animals, and I trust my talent.

 

**Amane turns to Dayu.**

 

Amane: I know your talent works in a similar way, do you agree with me.

 

**Dayu rests his chin on his hand, pulls a pen from his turtleneck and begins twirling it.**

 

Dayu: Mmmm, I have to say I do. Monokuma is sporadic, and he seems to bore very easily. He would never keep the same handwriting for very long, and would change it often.

 

Rui: H-how can he write though? He doesn’t have fingers.

 

Amane: So you see, I’m willing to believe Asa’s sacrifice would end the micro-injector motive. Monokuma used the most high-stakes motive first to get the Killing Game started. He won’t keep using the same one.

 

Asa: Y-yeah so there. I’ll kill myself so no one but me has to die. 

 

Ayame: You really are stupid.

 

**After taking in the conversation, I’m finally ready to give my own input.**

 

Asa: Don’t interfere more than you already have Ayame. I won’t let you ruin my plan to save everyone. 

 

Ayame: You’re not saving anyone! You’re only delaying the inevitable. Sure, maybe once you were gone Monokuma wouldn’t use the injector motive anymore, so what? I’m sure he has plenty more tricks up his sleeve. He won’t let it end that easily.

 

Dayu: I also agree with that. Because out Mastermind gets bored so easily, I doubt he would wait long after your death before he got someone else to kill.

 

**Asa sinks down into a chair, defeated. The next time she speaks, her voice is barely a whisper.**

 

Asa: So what are we going to do…

 

**Again, the room fills with silence.**

 

June: We just play the waiting game I suppose.

 

Roka: So we’re just going to sit by and wait for someone to die then.

 

June: That’s all we can do.

 

**So that’s that then. Someone will be dead tonight. And it could be me. I have a sudden urge to grab a fork and dig the Micro-Injector out of my neck.**

 

**But according to Monokuma I would just blow myself up.**

 

**To be honest, that could be a lie, but I sure as hell wouldn’t be the first one to try.**

 

**Again, any conversation in the Dining hall was hushed.**

 

**I also noted that very few people were taking Rui’s pancakes.**

 

**Maybe they were worried about being poisoned too.**

 

**After sitting by myself for a while longer, I have an idea.**

 

Ayame: Hey, does anyone want to go look for the missing students with me?

 

**Asa looks at my quizzically.**

 

Asa: Stop going back and forth so much, I thought you didn’t want us working together.

 

Ayame: Well, believe or not, sitting around with nothing on our minds but the fact we could die tonight isn’t very healthy for our minds. That could very easily lead to a murder. Plus we need to keep tabs on the missing students. It will give us something to do.

 

Dayu: I see, so your anxious just sitting around huh? This is why your handwriting is so messy.

 

**I just ignore Dayu at this point.**

 

**Asa, Haise, Roka, Akinari, Udo, and Aisa choose to come with me. Dayu and Amane say they are going back to their rooms, and Rui said she was going to go bake to calm her own anxiety. June also opts to stay in her own room.**

 

Roka: Why are you staying behind June? Your memory could prove to be useful.

 

June: I need some time on my own to think.

 

**She looks like she’s concentrating hard on something.**

 

June: Instead of our 6pm meeting time, which we missed yesterday after being drugged anyhow, let’s meet at 9pm.

 

Aisa: That’s like, 2 hours before the deadline. Why you want us to meet?

 

**For once, I see June’s cold demeanor break for a second.**

 

June: I….. well if it’s me who gets killed tonight I would want to be surrounded by people as to not die alone. I think everyone here feels the same.

 

**After that brief moment of vulnerability, June’s eyes harden again.**

 

**I would never admit it out loud, but I had the same feeling as June. If I’m going to die tonight I want to be able to share my last words and leave a lasting memory.**

 

June: When you find the others, tell them of our meeting.

 

**She seemed a bit too certain that we WOULD find everyone.**

 

**After murmuring our agreement with June’s idea, ten of us leave the dining hall, with only Rui saying behind.**

 

**As we reach the lobby, Dayu, June, and Amane depart to their rooms.**

 

**The lobby was empty of any of the missing students.**

 

**I notice Haise looks flushed again.**

 

Ayame: Haise, are you okay?

 

Haise: [out of breath] Y-yeah I think. I’m just feeling weak still.

 

Ayame: Why don’t you sit this one out then.

 

Haise: Mm, I would but I can’t get in my own room.

 

Udo: You can go back to mine if you want, Partner.

 

**Even though his voice had the same smug tone, I almost think I can hear a hint of concern.**

 

Haise: Yeah, no. I’ll just sit out here in the lobby. If anyone passes by I’ll let you know.

 

Ayame: Okay.

 

**Just then, we are startled by one of the Ballroom doors slamming open.**

 

**Izo comes stumbling out, tears dripping down his face.**

 

Asa: Izo? What’s wrong? You missed the 8:00 meeting.

 

**He doesn’t say anything and pushes past us towards the Suites. I call out to him.**

 

Ayame: We’re meeting again in the Dining Hall at 9:00pm. Be there if you don’t want to die alone!   
  


Asa: That’s harsh!

 

Ayame: But it’s true.

 

Haise: What was wrong with him?   
  


Udo: Haha, who knows? The boys sensitive as fuck though, so it’s probably something stupid.

 

**Then, the Ballroom doors open again. This time, Ayuka walks out. Her eyes are wide and distant, reminding me of what Kae looked like earlier today.**

 

Asa: Ayuka! Is Izo okay? We just saw him pass by. Why weren’t you at the meeting today?

 

**Her head snaps up, and she smiles a little too widely at us.**

 

Ayuka: HAHAhaha, yup! He’s fine! You know that loser, he’s a crybaby!!

 

Udo: AYyYY! Lmao, that’s what I just said!

 

**Everyone, except Udo I guess, was unnerved by Ayuka’s mannerisms. She also pushes by us and heads to the Suites. I call out the same message I did to Izo about our meeting.**

 

Roka: Christ, were the missing students just having their own meeting in the Ballroom or something?

 

**We decide to check the Ballroom to see if this was the case. There was, in fact, one other of the missing students was in the Ballroom.**

 

**It’s Nori.**

 

**She is writing sporadically in her notebook.**

 

Ayame: Nori! What the hell just went down in here?   
  


**She doesn’t even look up to address me.**

 

Nori: I can’t say. As a journalist it is against my code of conduct to interfere with any scenario. 

 

**Her and her stupid talent.**

 

**I don’t think anyone felt in the mood to try and push information from Nori, we just tell her about June’s meeting and leave the Ballroom.**

 

Aisa: Alright alright! We just need to find Kae and Juro now! This was e-z

 

Roka: They could just be in their rooms you know. And we can’t barge in on them or anything like that. 

 

Ayame: We’ll worry about that later if we must. For now the last place we need to check is the pool.

 

**The seven of us leave the ballroom and head down the Suite hallway to the pool, minus Haise who stays behind.**

 

**We enter, but the pool is vacant.**

 

Asa: Huh.

 

Roka: Well I don’t know what we expected I guess. The only ones I’ve seen use the pool so far is Aisa and you, Asa. 

 

**Kae said she loved swimming.**

 

Aisa: So like, what should we do now?

 

Dayu: Nothing we really can do. Just split off and hope we run into Juro or Kae later.

 

Udo: Well, they’re gonna have to leave their room during cleaning hour, so there is no way we can’t run into them then.

 

Ayame: Udo’s right. We’ll have to wait until then. 

 

**Everyone murmurs in agreement, and we split off from one another.**

 

**I head back to my own room.**

 

**Once inside, I sit down on my bed to take some time to just think.**

 

**No matter how you look at it, someone will die tonight, whether it be from a murder or the injection.**

 

**I don’t know why, but I begin to ponder who I would want to die.**

 

**Definitely not any of the more level-headed individuals, them being June, Nori, and Amane. Their calm demeanors is probably the only thing keeping some of us sane.**

 

**I also don’t want those with the softer personality types to die either since they're the least obnoxious. Roka, Izo, and Akinari were the only students I could think of who fit in that category.**

 

**Then there was those who were just sorta average like Kae, Haise, Dayu, and Aisa, who I wouldn’t really care either way if they died.**

 

**Then of course were the people who got on everyone of my nerves, Rui, Udo, Ayuka, and Asa. Part of me would be relieved if they were the ones to kick the bucket tonight.**

 

**As I was pondering this, I had crawled back under my covers.**

 

**I’ve realized in the back of my mind that ever since I’ve gotten here I’ve been tired almost constantly.**

 

**The stress of this situation has really been doing a number on my body.**

 

**It had been awhile since I considered exactly how long I would be trapped here.**

 

**The last thought that crossed my mind before I drifted off to sleep was that the person I sorta hoped was the one to die tonight was myself.**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Policy of Isolationism, Never Leads to War (Daily Life; Part 3)

**I awake feeling relieved that I had no weird dream. In fact, I felt like I was much more well rested since I didn’t.**

 

**I look at the clock. It reads 11:45. I had luckily woken up fifteen minutes before I would need to leave my room.**

 

**I make a mental note to not fall asleep between the morning announcement and Cleaning Hour if I can help it.**

 

**I’ve been cutting it too close.**

 

**I stretch with a yawn and grab my room key. I also go into my drawer and grab my own spare room key and Amane’s.**

 

**After Haise losing her room key I decide that the best this I can do is dispose of my own spare, and the one I had retrieved from Amane.**

 

**I  considered returning the key to Amane, but I didn’t have the energy to tell him why I was doing so.**

 

**As I leave my room and step into the hallway. To my surprise, it’s empty. I wonder where everyone was?**

 

**Then, I notice noise coming from the pool room, and a lot more than normal.**

 

**Curious, I go to check out who was there.**

 

**As I walk in, I’m surprised to see quite a few people either swimming in the pool or sitting on the lounge chairs. Aisa, who was swimming, called out to me as I entered.**

 

Aisa: Hey Ayame! Come swim with us!

 

**Asa, Rui, Udo, Haise, and surprisingly Ayuka were all in the pool with Aisa, while June, sat off to the side.**

 

Ayame: Why is he here with you?

 

**I question, referring to Udo.**

 

Rui: We didn’t want him here but he invited himself.

 

Udo: The pool is a public area!!

 

Rui: You never swam once before now!

 

Udo: Neither did you!

 

**Yeah I didn’t feel like dealing with this. Without giving Aisa an answer, I turn and leave.**

 

**I was actually rather confused as to why they were all hanging out when we all knew somebody would be dead in a few hours.**

 

**Then again, maybe they wanted to enjoy what could be their last day alive?**

 

**I guess no one would murder someone when they were in that big group anyways.**

 

**I decide to head out to the lobby and see who was there. As I am, I see Juro exit his room.**

 

Juro: Ayame, hey!

 

Ayame: Hey. Why didn’t you come to the meeting this morning?

 

Juro: Ah… to be honest I was a little too anxious to attend. I just needed time to myself to calm down.

 

Ayame: That’s understandable I suppose.

 

**I see Juro glance at the two keys I’m holding in my hand.**

 

Juro:[sounding confused] What’re you doing with two keys?

 

Ayame: Ah… nothing. I just carry both of mine now ever since Haise lost hers.

 

Juro: Don’t want to get locked out, huh?

 

Ayame: That and I don’t want to have to room with Asa like Haise did with Udo. That poor soul.

 

Juro: Is she sleeping in his room again tonight?

 

Ayame: She’ll probably have to unless she decides to trust someone enough to room with them instead. That or she’ll be killed.

 

**I notice Juro’s face drop.**

 

Juro: Hey… don’t joke about that, okay?

 

Ayame: Right. Sorry.

 

**With that, I push past Juro and head to the Lobby. I don’t find it empty as I had half hoped, instead I saw Dayu standing by the locked doors.**

 

Ayame: What are you doing?

 

Dayu: Ah, Ayame! Come here for a second.

 

**A bit confused, I make my way over to him.**

Dayu: Put your ear to the door.

 

Ayame: Why?

 

Dayu: I need your opinion on something.

 

**Reluctantly, I place my ear against the cool glass.**

 

**Nothing but the sound of my own blood rushing through my skull greets me.**

 

**I step back.**

 

Ayame: What the fuck was the point of that?  


Dayu: What did you hear?

 

Ayame: What do you mean what did I hear? Nothing.

 

**Dayu looks at the door again, his eyebrows furrowed with concentration.**

 

Dayu: So I thought. This is worrying.

 

Ayame: I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.

 

**Just then, Roka enters the Lobby from the Suite Hallway, followed by Akinari.**

 

**Dayu calls them over as well.**

 

**Akinari writes in his journal and turns it for us to read.**

 

_Akinari: I’m hungry and need to get food from the dining hall. Can I come back?_

 

Dayu: No. This is important.

 

**Akinari sighs and closes his journal.**

 

**Roka turns to me expectantly.**

 

Roka: What is this all about?

 

Ayame: I have no idea.

 

**Dayu then instructs both Akinari and Roka to listen through the door, and asks them what they hear. Both reply the same as I did, nothing.**

 

Dayu: Shit. This really isn’t good.

 

Roka: Dayu, I don’t understand what you mean.

 

Dayu: I…. I need to think about this more.

 

**With that, he leaves us and goes to enter the ballroom.**

 

Roka: Is he okay?

 

Ayame: Are any of us?

 

**Roka falls silent. I just now notice how troubled he looks. The way his face is sunken and pale reminds  me of what Kae looked like this morning.**

 

**A wave of guilt hits me , but I shake it away.**

 

**Maybe I looked just as awful anyways.**

 

Roka: Can we eat lunch together?

 

**Roka asks this, catching me off guard.**

 

Ayame: What? Who? You, Akinari, and I?

 

**He nods.**

 

Ayame: Why the hell would I do that? And why do you want to?

 

**He shifts nervously.**

 

Roka: I um…. Don’t want to spend the  day alone ya know? Just in case.

 

**I guess I hit it right on the nose figuring everyone felt lonely today. I didn’t though. The last thing I would want is to grow close to someone now when it’s guaranteed someone was going to die today.**

 

Ayame: I’m probably not the person who you want to hang out with if you want to feel better you know.

 

Roka: Yeah I know….but why not?

 

**But why not…**

 

**And next thing I knew I was standing in the middle of the kitchen with Roka and Akinari, trying to find something to eat. I only agreed because I was hungry, and I needed to go to the kitchen anyways to dispose of the keys.**

 

**But as I scanned the kitchen, the reality hit me that A; I couldn’t casually get rid of the keys with Akinari and Roka right here and B; There was nowhere to destroy them.**

 

**Thinking it over, I don’t know where I was expecting to get rid of them anyways.**

 

**So, I end up shoving the two keys in my pocket and pushing the idea to the back of my mind for now, since it didn’t prove to be an immediate threat.**

 

Roka: What should we eat? Is there pre-made food?

 

**Akinari opens the fridge and gestures us over.**

 

**It’s stuffed with cakes, cookies, and other sweets.**

 

**The way Akinari’s eyes, well, at least the eye I could see, lit up, I could tell he wanted to eat all of them.**

 

Roka: Well, it’s already made, but it’s not really a lunch.

 

Ayame: What are you, his mother?

 

**Roka turns to me and I surprised to see his eyes are dead serious.**

 

Roka: We can’t risk getting sick in this place. From what we know there is no medical room, and no treatments for any ailments.

 

Ayame: Oh come on, I’m sure there is some medicine in the Storage Room.

 

**Roka shook his head slowly.**

 

Roka: No, Nori and I took inventory the first day, remember? There were drugs but… none that would help anyone.

 

**I didn’t want to ask what that meant.**

 

Roka: Anyways, it’s best to watch out for our health while trapped here, so no sweets for now Akinari.

 

Ayame: Besides, I’m sure Rui baked those, and they all could be poisoned.

 

**Akinari flinches back and shuts the fridge door.**

 

Roka: Did you really have to go and say that?

 

Ayame: I warned you I’m not here to be optimistic.

 

**Roka is silent for a bit after that, and we rummage through the cabinets to see what we could find.**

 

**I ended up making cheese sandwiches for the three of us, and Roka makes some tea.**

 

**I eye him the whole time to be sure he wasn’t trying to do anything funny to the drinks.**

 

**I also noticed Akinari warily looking at me while I slapped the cheese on the bread.**

 

**I admired his caution.**

 

**Once we are done preparing the meal we return to the dining hall to eat.**

 

**We sit in silence and chew on our food, the air feeling awkward.**

 

Roka: So… what do you think about tonight?

 

**Finally Roka breaks the silence, but this isn’t exactly a topic I expected him to talk about.**

 

Ayame: I don’t know what you want me to say. Someone will be dead, plain and simple.

 

Roka: I know… who do you think it will be?

 

**Another weird question coming from Roka.**

 

Ayame: Beats me, it’s random right?

 

**Roka’s eyes cloud over.**

 

Roka: Is it though?

 

Ayame: How do you mean?

 

Roka: Well… I don’t know. I’m probably just thinking about it too much but, what if Monokuma just picks off the most dangerous person, poisons them, and plays it off as a random selection.

 

Ayame: Why would the mastermind want the most dangerous person to die? This is a killing game after all.

 

**Roka shakes his head.**

 

Roka: Not dangerous to us, dangerous to _them._

 

Ayame: Them… you mean our kidnappers?

 

Roka: Exactly.

 

Ayame: Who do you figure would be considered dangerous to them.

 

**Roka had taken a pencil from his bag and started tapping on the table.**

 

Roka: The people most likely to ruin the Killing Game. The ones who are smart and good at swaying others with their words. Someone like Asa or June…

 

**He turns and looks me dead in the eyes.**

 

Roka: Or you.

 

**I feel my stomach sink.**

 

Ayame: What are you saying?

 

Roka: Nothing really, just thinking.

 

**Suddenly, his eyes clear and widen. He turns to me frantically.**

 

Roka: Wait, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t thinking about what I was talking about! The odds of what I’m saying being true are very slim, I was just…

 

**I take a deep breath and try to calm my nerves.**

 

Ayame: You were just going over every possibility. Don’t worry about it, okay?

 

**On the inside, I could feel anxiety gripping every cell of my body.**

 

**I know earlier I said I hoped to be the one to die, but I think stupid things a lot, okay?**

 

**Roka and I both turn our attention to Akinari, silently willing him to remedy the situation.**

 

**But Akinari was gone.**

 

Roka: What??? Where did he go?!

 

Ayame: I have no clue?

 

**His food and drink were gone too, so we realize he must of slipped away without us noticing.**

 

Roka: I… forgot how easily he can disappear.

 

**I decide to try and change the subject quickly by talking about Akinari.**

 

Ayame: You guys are partners, have you been spending a lot of time with him?

 

Roka: Well, after your proposal of isolation, I was hesitant. But he seemed lost and lonely, and I was too. Besides, he can’t kill me.

 

Ayame: What’s he like? He has barley spoken, or um, written,  a word since we got here.

 

Roka: I don’t really know. He doesn’t really _have_ a personality, you know? I mean, he’s obviously quiet, but that’s about it. He could be sadistic deep down and we wouldn’t know.

 

**Roka was** **_really_ ** **saying strange things today.**

 

Ayame: Are you worried he may kill someone and get the both of you in trouble?

 

Roka: No… I really don’t think he has it in him to do something like that. His whole Ultimate talent is about staying under the radar.

 

Ayame: I bet he could kill without making a blip on the radar.

 

**I only just realize that Roka looks extremely uncomfortable.**

 

Roka: Let’s not talk about it.

 

Ayame: You brought it up.

 

Roka: I’m sorry, I know. I’m not myself today.

 

Ayame: Don’t apologize. I don’t care.

 

**Just then the door to the dining hall swings open. The group who had been in the pool now entered.**

 

Ayame: We’ll end the conversation here for today.

 

**Or forever.**

 

**As I prepare to leave, someone grabs my arm.**

 

**I swing around, expecting to see Kae.**

 

**But there stands Ayuka.**

 

**Her face looks exactly as Roka’s and Kae’s had, sunken and pale.**

 

Ayuka: Ayame, I need your help.

 

**Why the fuck was everyone coming to** **_me_ ** **for help?**

 

Ayuka: Izo and Kae are missing.

 

Ayame: What do you mean missing? This place isn’t that big.

 

Ayuka: I _know_ and that’s why I’m freaking out. I think something happened to them.

 

Ayame: What exactly?

 

**She doesn’t reply, but I already can understand what she is implying.**

 

**I suggest that we go out to the lobby and continue our discussion there.**

 

**A few minutes later we are sitting facing each other on the red, velvet chairs.**

 

Ayame: So you think they are dead?

 

**I cut right to the chase.**

 

**Ayuka’s eyes widen. Maybe I went a little too fast.**

 

Ayuka: No! I mean, I doubt it...hopefully. Wouldn’t we know if someone dies?

 

Ayame: Sure. I guess.

 

**I sink back into the soft velvet of the chair and rub my hands up and down it.**

 

**I didn’t realize I was doing it at the time, but I guess it was just a nervous tick or something.**

 

Ayame: So why am I here again? What exactly do you want?

 

Ayuka: Well… you’re the one closest to Kae I think, and I’m wor-

 

Ayame: What makes you think Kae and I are close?

 

**Ayuka gives me a confused look.**

 

Ayuka: She made it seem that way to me... going on about how she can only trust you and she needs you to protect her.

 

Ayame: When did she tell you this?

 

Ayuka: Umm, last night right before we went to bed. After the whole sedative ordeal. I think that whole motive really really caused her to panic.

 

Ayame: Did she tell you if she was planning to do anything? Or if um…

 

**I try desperately to think of a way to indirectly get Ayuka to give me more information about why Kae thought she was going to be murdered, and by whom.**

 

**I didn’t trust Ayuka nearly enough to ask her directly.**

 

Ayuka: That’s why I’m worried, she did seem like she had something she was planning but I don’t know what. And I’m worried she’s trying to get Izo involved.

 

**Izo?**

 

Ayame: What makes you think Kae and Izo are connected in anyway?

 

**Ayuka suddenly shoots out of her seat.**

 

Ayuka: You know what, forget it, forget I said anything okay?

 

Ayame: Woah, what? You came to me? What the hell is wrong with you?

 

**Izo had mentioned before that Ayuka was acting sporadic and now I was seeing this first hand.**

 

**I now had to figure out if Kae and Izo did have something to do with one another, or if this was just a delusion of  Ayuka’s.**

 

**The skater turns and walks quickly towards the Suite hallway, before stopping.**

 

**She turns to me, her eyes wild.**

 

Ayuka: Ayame, if you had a loved one here, would you sacrifice your own life for them?

 

Ayame: Okay, _what the fuck?_ Ayuka, I really can’t say, and if I could I wouldn’t tell you. What the hell is wrong?

 

**She doesn’t answer and turns her back towards me, walking down the Suite Hallway.**

 

**I bury my head in my hands with a groan.**

 

**Why did everything have to be so complicated?**

 

**What did I do to deserve this?**

 

**And more importantly why did everyone have to come to** **_me_ ** **with their issues.**

 

**Asa had said I was the ‘bad guy’ but with how I just have to be involved with everything I’m starting to feel more like the protagonist.**

 

**Asa…**

 

**She hadn’t said a word to me in the past day and a half, and part of me was grateful for that.**

 

**But another part of me was worried about what sort of grudge she was now holding against me.**

 

**I knew she couldn’t murder me or anything…**

 

**I shake my head to clear it.**

 

**As much as I didn’t like Asa due to her idealism, she really didn’t seem like the type of person to hurt someone.**

 

**She just didn’t seem smart enough to put on such a good act only to stab us in the back.**

 

**Besides, Asa was truly the least of my worries right now.**

 

**Ayuka’s acting weird, Kae and Izo are missing, Dayu seems to know more than he’s letting on, Roka is being edgy, and I could be dead by tonight.**

 

**Now flooded with even worse anxiety than before, I return to my room.**

 

**Cleaning Hour had come and gone while I was having lunch, and it was now 3:30. That leaves 5 and ½ hour until the meeting.**

 

**Would everyone even show up?**

 

**I wasn’t sure Kae even** **_knew_ ** **about the meeting since she has been MIA.**

 

**I spend the next few hours just staying in my room, trying to organize my thoughts, which have been all over the place ever since we arrived at this damn hotel.**

 

**I pace around my room, open the closet and disorganized my clothes, just so I can organize them again.**

 

**I just want to waste time.**

 

**After I dis and re-organize my closet a few times, I grab a fresh uniform and go to take a shower.**

 

**The hours drip by slowly and painfully, as I just waited for 9:00.**

 

**Then, at around 8:00, there’s a knock on my door.**

 

**I’m very hesitant to answer.**

 

**What if someone’s snapped and come to kill me?**

 

**I shudder and shake the paranoid thought from my mind, getting up to go answer the door.**

 

**I half-hope to see Kae, but instead Dayu and Haise stand there.**

 

**They both look troubled, but at this point I figured everyone did.**

 

Ayame: What’s up?

 

Dayu: It’s about the doors, I wanted to check something with you again.

 

Ayame: Why me?

 

**He shrugs**

 

Dayu: I’m not sure, you just seem observant and that’s what I need.

 

Ayame: If you want observant you should get Amane or Roka.

 

Dayu: Yeah, I tried, but they shut themselves into their rooms and won’t come out, so you were the next best thing.

 

Ayame: I’m flattered.

 

**I turn my attention to Haise.**

 

Ayame: And why are you with him?

 

Haise: Erm, I’m not, I was coming to talk to you myself and he was here already.

 

Dayu: While you’re around I need your help too.

 

Haise: M’kay.

 

Ayame: What did you need from me?

 

Haise: Nothing important.

 

**I felt that was probably I lie but I choose not to push the matter at this moment since Dayu was here.**

 

**The three of us make our way to the lobby.**

 

**Udo's there, splayed out on one of the couches. He looks like he’s sleeping, but I don’t see why he would sleep here as opposed to the Suites.**

 

Haise: Udo, the hell are you doing?

 

**He doesn’t open his eyes when he responds.**

 

Udo: I’mmmmm practicingg

 

Haise: Practicing what?

 

Udo: Being dead just in case I die.

 

Dayu: Can’t you see the future? Why don’t you just see if you’ll die or not.

 

**Did… Dayu really believe Udo’s tales?**

 

**Udo sighs and pushes himself up on the couch.**

 

Udo: If I chose to see everything then things would get boring, so I purposely don’t look into the future sometimes.

 

**We walk by Udo, just ignoring him at this point, and stand in front of the painted over doors.**

 

**Udo comes up from behind us and pokes his head over Dayu’s shoulder.**

 

Udo: Whaddya doin’?

 

Dayu: Testing something out.

 

**Dayu instructs Haise to put her ear to the door, just as he had told me to do earlier. Haise reports, just as everyone else had, that she heard nothing through the door.**

 

**Dayu then asks me to listen again, and I give him the same results.**

 

Dayu: Ayame, I need your serious opinion for a minute.

 

**Is he implying  I haven’t been serious before?**

 

Dayu: What do you think this silence we all hear means.

 

Ayame: I don’t follow.

 

Dayu: If this truly was a door to the outside as we all assumed since the beginning, don’t you think we would hear _something?_

 

Ayame: I… hadn’t thought of it…

 

Haise: So what are you implying?

 

Dayu: I don’t think this door truly leads to the outside world.

 

Udo: Where else do ya think it would lead to then?

 

Dayu: That’s the thing, I suspect nowhere.

 

**Nowhere?**

 

Ayame: So you think it’s a red herring?

 

Dayu: Well… maybe. Don’t you think that when you put your ear to the door it feels like how it would listening through a concrete wall rather than a glass door?

 

**I think through what I heard, which was truly just nothing but the blood rushing in my ears. I suppose that was similar to what you hear when you push your ear up to a thick wall.**

 

Haise: So you figure this door leads to… a wall?

 

Dayu: Exactly.

 

Ayame: Okay, and what do you think that _means._

 

Dayu: I… haven’t figured it out yet. But if this truly isn’t the real door then perhaps there is some other entrance that we’ve missed. Like we said on the first day here, we had to have got in somehow.

 

Ayame: We’ve looked everywhere already though, there is nothing else that looks like an entrance.

 

Dayu: That’s what I’m stuck on still. I need to think this over some more. Thanks for the help.

 

**With that, he turns and walks towards the dining hall. I don’t really understand why he was so caught up on this damn door.**

 

**Sure if the lobby doors were really fake is would be a twist from what we thought, but it doesn’t really help us in our current situation.**

 

Udo: Welp, I’m going to the dining hall, you ladies coming? I think most people are there already.

 

Haise: I’m going ahead, you coming Ayame?  


Ayame: I might wait out here a little bit longer.

 

**Haise gives me a strange look, then goes with Udo to the dining hall.**

 

**Truthfully, I was terrified to go.**

 

**In there I would have to face the reality of death, which up until this point, if you couldn’t tell, I’ve been trying really hard to suppress.**

 

**I sit on one the couches and wait for a little bit, watching as a few more students walked through the lobby to the dining hall.**

 

**None of them acknowledge me, all seeming in their own world.**

 

**As the minutes pass by and 9:00 approaches, I finally accept that I must go the the meeting.**

 

**During this meeting, someone will drop dead.**

 

**That is the thought that raced through my mind as I made my way to the dining hall.**

 

**I was honestly shocked no one had murdered before it came to this point.**

 

**I wonder what Monokuma will do since his motive was all for not.**

 

**I wonder if I will even find out.**

 

**No, I can’t think like that. The odds are in my favor, I only had I one in sixteen chance of being killed. Then again, the odds were the same for everyone else too...maybe.**

 

**Part of me worried greatly about what Roka had said earlier.**

 

**And what about Haise? She had Ultimate Good Luck, right?**

 

**Finally, I reach the dining hall.**

 

**Taking a deep breath, I enter.**

 

**Maybe I won’t ever come out.**

 

**It seems I’m one of the last ones there, as thirteen other students have already gathered.**

 

**Everyone is bunched around the longer table in the front of the dining hall, whispering among themselves.**

 

**The feeling of anxiety protruding from everyone made me feel suffocated.**

 

**I go to join the others at the table.**

 

June: There’s Ayame. We are still missing two though.

 

**With a sinking feeling, I realize both Izo and Kae are absent.**

 

Udo: Awww, maybe they are already got killed by the injection. Wait, that means I’m safe though! Yesss!

 

**Udo was one of the only ones who remained in character despite the looming threat.**

 

Roka: [voice shaking] N-no, Monokuma made it clear someone would die at Night-time. That’s still two hours away.

 

**Akinari holds up his journal for us to read.**

 

_Akinari: What are we doing until then?_

 

June: Well I did have a plan, but Kae and Izo still aren’t here so we’ll have to wait.

 

**Juro turns expectantly towards Ayuka.**

 

Juro: Do you know where Izo is? Or Kae, for that matter? The former is your best friend, and the latter is your partner.

 

**Ayuka looks extremely pale.**

 

Ayuka: N-nope. Not a clue. Why should I give a hell anyways?

 

**Because up until this point you** **_did?_ **

 

Nori: Ayuka, I know that you and Izo got into an argument at some point yesterday, could his absence have to do with that?

 

**Ayuka’s head shoots up.**

 

Ayuka: We didn’t have an argument! Izo just made it clear I was being clingy which is untrue since I don’t actually like him and the only reason I hang out with that loser outside of skating is cuz of pressure from the media and our coach sothereisnoreasonwewouldhaveafight

 

**Ayuka speaks rapidly and nonsensically, only stopping once she runs out of breath.**

 

Rui: A-Ayuka, your acting strange.

 

**She remains silent.**

 

Dayu: Ayuka, what the hell is wrong?

 

**Silent.**

 

Haise: Alright… I’m worried now. Should we go look for Kae and Izo?

 

Asa: Y-yeah, that’s a good idea. Did anyone see them at all today?

 

Ayame: Yeah… I saw Kae this morning right before breakfast. We talked a bit.

 

**Ayuka suddenly calls out a little too loudly.**

 

Ayuka: I saw Izo a few hours ago! We hung out during cleaning hour!

 

**I knew that was a lie. I had been with Ayuka just after that and she said Izo was missing. What was she up to? Before I can say something, Rui speaks.**

 

Rui: I think I saw Kae go into the storage room a few hours ago.

 

June: Do you know how long she was there for?

 

**Rui squints her eyes in concentration.**

 

Rui: MMmm, I can’t actually seem to remember seeing her leave. Though, I wasn’t in the kitchen the whole time so she could’ve left while I was gone.

 

**I don’t really know why, but my heart sinks. I rapidly shoot out of my chair.**

 

Juro: Ayame? Ayame, what’s wrong?

 

**I stare at Rui**

 

Ayame: Rui. You mean she came in but never left?

 

**Rui looks shocked by my intensity.**

 

Rui: Huh? Well as I mentioned, I-I can’t say for certain I-

 

**Before she can finish, I race towards the kitchen. I hear most of the others get up and follow suit. I tear right through I kitchen, down the stairs, and into the storage room.**

 

**My heart is racing, and my head is pounding as I reach the room. I don’t know what I thought I would see, blood, guts, gore?**

 

**But the Storage Room was vacant. The other students catch up to me.**

 

Asa: Ayame, what are you doing?

 

June: Did you remember something? Is something wrong?

 

**Not answering, I take a few more steps inside the storage room and scan the area.**

**Something, look for something. Something out of place, anything.**

 

**Look.**

 

**Look.**

 

June: That lock wasn’t on the freezer before.

 

**June says this with complete certainty. I feel my feet slowly carry me towards the door to the walk-in fridge.**

 

**There was now a padlock and chain wrapped around the door. I grab the lock in my hand. The metal is cool against my sweaty palm.**

 

**There was no key-hole the lock, all you had to do was push down on the top and it clicked open.**

 

**I unwrap the chain.**

 

**Then I just stare at the door.**

 

Roka: Huh? Who put the lock on the fridge?

 

**No one says anything. I felt like I was going to collapse at any moment. Taking a deep breath, I push open the door and enter the freezing room.**

 

**The first thing I think is that it feels even colder than normal in here.**

 

**The second thing I think is that I heard somewhere that seeing someone lose their life first-hand could scar a person for life.**

 

**The third thing I think is that I no longer want this killing game to move forward.**

 

**The fourth thing I think is that I wish I had gone along with Asa**

 

**The fifth thing I think is that it’s strange the freezer was empty.**

 

**Wait, what?** ****  


**I stood there for a moment, letting my mind comprehend the fact the freezer provided no more of a gruesome scene than the storage room.**

 

**I don’t think my brain was working, as when I heard the shrill scream of Rui I couldn’t figure out why she had yelled.**

 

**Rui, can’t you see that there is nothing here? Udo’s right, you really are a crybaby. Why hasn’t June told you off yet?**

 

**It felt like hours before I finally let my gaze drift upwards.**

 

**Remember how back on the first night, I said seeing Asa in the dining hall had made me want to vomit?**

 

**I don’t think I realized then what it really meant to have the absolute urge to empty your stomach contents on the ground.**

  


**There, tied up on one of the ceiling rafters, is Kae.**

 

**It almost looks like she was asleep. I could almost believe she was. I could almost fool myself.**

 

**But her blue tinted skin and lips betrayed that delusion.**

 

**The sixth thought that comes to my mind after entering that damn freezer was that Kae looked pretty.**

 

**Her clothes and hair glimmered slightly, looking crystallized.**

 

**I had been so lost in my own thoughts I forgot the others were here too. Slowly, I turn towards them, letting their yells come into focus. They all talk over each other.**

 

Haise: What the hell? WHAT THE HELL?

 

Roka: No no no no…. Not Kae…. why

 

Dayu: Are we sure she’s dead? Can someone check her pulse??!  


Juro: Of course she’s dead, dumbass, her skin is fucking blue!

 

June: That just means poor blood circulation, not none at all.

 

Amane: No, she’s dead. Look, she’s not breathing and is too still.

 

**As if confirming Amane’s words, that fucking bell again rang from the intercom over-head.**

 

**Monokuma’s voice blasted through. Instead of being annoyed as I normally was, his voice gave me the absolutely choking feel of anxiety.**

 

Monokuma: A body had been discovered! Everyone please mee-

 

**I couldn’t hear the rest of the announcement over Ayuka’s panicked shout.**

 

Ayuaka: Izo! Where is he?

 

**Izo. Shit. Still numb, I turn away from Kae and towards Ayuka.**

 

**Her eyes seem clearer than they had moments ago in the dining hall, but now they were bright with undeniable fear.**

 

**Then comes another scream.**

 

**This time it belonged to Haise, and it came from just outside the freezer back in the storage room.**

 

**I don’t even realize I’m moving until I reach Haise.**

 

**There I see what made her scream.**

 

**Izo was splayed out on the floor behind a pile of boxes, so that he had been obscured from view when I had first entered the storage room.**

 

**Without a word, Juro runs up to Izo and kneels down next to him, pressing two fingers against the skaters neck.**

 

**With his eyes closed, Juro remains like this for a moment before letting out a sigh.**

 

Juro: He’s not dead.

 

**Ayuka runs up to her friend and shoves Juro out of the way.**

 

**She grabs Izo by the shoulders.**

 

Ayuka: Izo?? Can you hear me? It’s Ayuka! Wake up.

 

**Izo’s eyes flick open and he murmurs incoherently.**

 

Monokuma: Puhuhuhu too bad, thought we had a double murder!

 

**No one even realized Monokuma had joined us in the panic.**

 

Ayuka: What the hell did you do you shitty bear?! Why did you kill Kae? And what did you do to Izo?

 

**Ayuka shouts at the robot, pulling Izo closer to her.**

 

Monokuma: Woah woah! Slow down there Ice Queen. I didn’t do anything to either of those brats!

 

Ayuka: Liar! You’re a liar!

 

Monokuma:  I’m no liar! I’m offended you would even think such a thing *frowny face*

 

**I was too numb to even come up with anything to say to the black and white robot. I just wanted to shrink into the ground and disappear.**

 

Monokuma: For real, do ya bastards even read the rules I add to your Monopads? After I introduced the motives yesterday, I added a rule stating that I may not interfere in any murder.

 

**A few students pull out their tablets, and the look on their faces confirm Monokuma was not lying.**

 

**So that meant…**

 

Ayame: One of us killed Kae…

 

**The words fall quietly out of my mouth, making the rest of the students quiet.**

 

Monokuma: Bingo! And now do you know what you have to do?

 

June: We… need to find her murderer or…

 

**June’s voice is shaky.**

 

Monokuma: Or ya alllll get the axe!

 

Asa: How… can you expect us to do that. One of our friends just died!

 

Monokuma: Ffreindds? I thought you guys weren’t frienddsssss?

 

**He draws out the word friend in mockery.**

 

**Asa remains silent, and just stares wide eyed at Kae.**

 

Monokuma: Well, hey! Cheer up brats! Now none of you have to die by random! Congrats.

 

**I felt no relief as a new wave of fear fell over me with this pending investigation.**

 

**How the hell were we supposed to figure this out? There were no clues. We weren’t detectives.**

 

**And if we didn’t figure it out we all will die.**

 

**Everyone is still silent, as we all just look at each other.**

 

**Monokuma sighs.**

 

Monokuma: Alright, well, I’ll give ya all a jump start since this is your first investigation. If you open your tablets you will have access to… the Monokuma File!

 

**Some students open their tablets much faster than others. I for one was not eager to look at this so called ‘Monokuma File’. Anything that came from that bastard couldn’t be good.**

 

Amane: This is… an autopsy report.

 

**Shakily, I open up the file on my Monopad and read what was written on the screen.**

 

**_Monokuma File 1:_ ** _The victim is Hironika Kae, the Ultimate Seamstress. She was found tied to one of the rafters in the Storage Room Freezer. Cause of Death is Hypothermia. Time of death is Unknown. Other non-fatal wounds on the Victims body include bruising to the right side of the neck, and a cut on the right hand._

 

Juro: This barely fucking helps. We don’t even have a time of death.

 

Nori: Yes I find that strange. Why is time of death omitted. I suspect you should know it, yes?

 

Monokuma: Puhuhu, maybe I do, maybe I don’t.

 

**With that, he abruptly disappears.**

 

Haise: W-what is this. I d-don’t know what we… where do we even start.

 

**I turn to Asa, then to June, hoping the natural leaders would give us some sense of what to do.**

 

**But both of their eyes were distant.**

 

**Nori, the next person who may know what to do was busily writing in her damn journal again.**

 

**Nobody seemed to want to take the initiative, and I understood why.**

 

**But if we just stood around here we may all be sent to our deaths.**

 

**There would be time for mourning later.**

 

**Feelings slowly return to my body as I address my classmates, or more accurately I push my feelings of shock and sadness aside as my instinct to survive kicks back in.**

 

**I try and make my voice sound as cold as collected as it normally had when talking to the others.**

 

Ayame: Alright, first things first, the rules state we must investigate in our partnerships so we should go ahead and get in those.

 

**Slowly, everyone turns to me. I see some light coming back into their eyes as, I assume, they realize that this meant life or death.**

 

June: Y-yes. Ayame’s right.

 

**June’s voice levels itself out once again.**

 

June: We should get in our partners and begin investigating immediately.

 

**Everyone murmurs in agreement.**

 

**And thus began the first investigation during our stay at this messed up Hotel.**

 

**Kae, the first person who I met as a captive here, was dead.**

 

**She had tried to tell me someone was out for her but I didn’t listen due to my own ego.**

 

**I owe it to her to bring her killer to justice.**

 

**_Investigation; Start_ **

 

**__ **

  



End file.
